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1873-1883
COLLECTORS CLUB
HANDBOOK NUMBER ONE
BRACE CHITTENDEN
///vk MEXICO
ISSUE OF 1874-1883
• \AOy*J
By J. BRACE CHITTENDEN, Ph.D.
■ l i i
HAND BOOK NUMBER ONE
COLLECTORS CLUB
NEW YORK
1918
Postal History
Reference Library
Smithsonian Institution
Gift of
Julius Stolow
Copyright 1919
By The Collectors Club
This edition consists of 250 copies
of which the first 100 are numbered.
In its Program for 1916-1917 the Collectors Club included a Mono¬
graph Competition to encourage the writing of articles based on original
research, and it was the desire of the Club to make the winning of this
competition the highest honor of American Philately.
Several noteworthy Monographs were entered, and the Gold Medal
was won by Dr. J. Brace Chittenden for “The 1874-1883 Issue of Mexico”.
As planned at the time the competition was instituted, the Collectors Club
now publishes this work, and it is hoped that it will be the first of an im¬
portant and valuable series.
THE PUBLICATION COMMITTEE.
'/
INTRODUCTION
No one could be more surprised than the author to find that so much
space and time can be devoted to the seven stamps with which this mono¬
graph is concerned. A general collection made within the last forty years
which does not contain varieties of all seven would be exceptional and on
the other hand, one that presents all possible varieties probably does not
exist. It must include as common a stamp as can be found in nineteenth
century Mexico and also at least one as scarce as any, not excepting the
celebrated Campeche local. As an issue, it has been comparatively neglect¬
ed by the many able specialists who during the last thirty years have
written about the stamps of Mexico. In the light of their research there
is no serious difficulty to be overcome in forming a representative and
intelligent collection of the stamps of this country. At one time very pop¬
ular, they have passed through a long period of general disfavor due to a
mass of indifferent counterfeits, nearly all of the first two issues. In the
series in question no counterfeits exist.
The standard authority in English is the Catalogue for Advanced Col¬
lectors wherein the chapter on Mexico was written by H. Collin and H. L.
Caiman with the collaboration of A. E. Lawrence, published in 1900. Ante¬
dating this work by four years, we find the German authority in Heilman’s
Handbook based on the collections and research of V. Schell, J. H. An-
heisser and A. Puschel.
The work of these gentlemen in Dusseldorf probably did more to break
Herr Heitman’s bank account than that of any others in this ambitious
hand book. To call it a' “hand book’’ is a joke worthy of the Fliegende
Blatter, for it requires two hands to hold one volume and the publication
ended with the second, closing with the letter N. About four hundred of
the 10 60 pages in Vol. II are devoted to Mexico and the standard attained
is very high. As a catalogue it is thoroughly reliable in all its positive
statements, and as a treatise on the philatelic history of Mexico it carries
one far into the related fields of geography and history with detail and
accuracy truly remarkable. To collect in this fashion is something more
than to gather an accumulation of stamps. The powers of observation,
logical deduction and order are exercised to a high degree, and a hobby or
recreation that leads to such considerable knowledge of a language, coin¬
age, government, geography and h’story deserves and will always command
the interest of the best intellects. The microscope has its merits, but the
broad view is the one to attain, and as a splendid example of the possi¬
bilities in historical philately there is none better than this work of Frhrn.
v. Schell and J. H. Anheisser and Herr A. Puschel written twenty-two
years ago.
Wherein this monograph is not original, it is based entirely on these
two books. Kohl in his last catalogue refers to a new presentation of the
issue of 1874-1883 by Dr. Schafer of Meissen about to be published when
the war broke out, of which nothing is known at this date outside of
Germany. E. W. Wetherall in the Philatelic Journal of India, 1909, pre¬
sented some notes on the three plates of the 25c. Aside from the forego¬
ing, very little of anything exists in print concerning this issue.
6
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
As to this monograph, it is based on certain notes found desirable in
arranging the accumulations in my collection without any thought of pub¬
lication until encouraged thereto by the Collectors Club of New York. This
accounts for the inclusion of the historical and postal history concerning the
earlier issues which would be a logical introduction to a handbook con¬
cerning all of these. The Committee decided to include them as designed
to be helpful to the collector of Mexican stamps in general, as it is improb¬
able that anyone interested would confine his attention to the particular
issue in question. To the Collectors Club and especially to the Committee
on Publication, Dr. Morgenthau, Mr. Luff, Mr. Poole and Mr. Steinway, I
am greatly indebted for their valuable time and sympathetic interest. The
arduous work of the editor has been assumed by Mr. J. J. Klemann as a
personal favor. In only one instance have I interfered and that is to insist
that it be recorded that the Committee on Publication appreciate fully how
much it has meant to the Club to have secured the necessary aid which
due to his exceptional experience, he has been able to lend. Concerning the
subject matter itself, these gentlemen should not be held responsible.
Finally I have to record my indebtedness to the Scott Stamp & Coin
Co. for the valuable privilege of reproducing the several types of surcharges-
taken from the plates of the Catalogue for Advanced Collectors to which
it would be difficult to add anything of importance.
J. BRACE CHITTENDEN.
IMPORTANT HISTORICAL EVENTS
1325 (about)
Mexico, Aztec name Tenochtitlan, or “Stone-cactus-place”,
founded by the Aztec Indians.
See Prescott, History of the Conquest of Mexico.
1521
1535-1821
1810
1815
1821
Conquest of Mexico by Cortes.
Rule of the Viceroys under Spain.
First revolt under Hidalgo.
Second revolt under Morelos.
Third revolt under Iturbide gains recognition of Mexican
independence from O’Donoju, the last of the Viceroys.
1822, Feb. 24
Meeting of the First Mexican Congress which ended by
electing Iturbide as Emperor, but he was forced to abdi¬
cate by Santa Anna.
1824
First constitution. Practical independence of the states.
At this date 18 states, 4 territories, and a Federal Dis¬
trict at Mexico City.
1824-1836
1836
Civil war. Rise of Santa Anna.
Second constitution, abolishing the State lines. Revolt of
Texas.
1845
1857
1863
War with the United States to recover Texas.
Fourth and present constitution under Juarez, Feb. 5.
Intervention by Louis Napoleon of France caused by cease¬
less disorders and establishment of Empire under Maxi¬
milian of Austria.
1867
Execution of Maximilian and capture of Mexico by Diaz,
general under Juarez. Progress under Juarez for ten
1872
1877
1880
1884-1912
years.
Death of Juarez; presidency of Lerdo de Tejada.
Diaz made President.
Gonzalez President.
Progress of Mexico under permanent presidency of Diaz.
8
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO
8. MEXICO
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
9
GEOGRAPHICAL
'States and Territories of Mexico (1856-1900) With Head District Post
Offices Established Therein.*
States
Sonora
Chihuahua
Coahuila
Nuevo-Leon
North Central States on U. S. Border
Postal Districts Established
Guaymas (Guaimas) 1865 to 1872
Hermosillo (Pitic, Hermocillo) 1856-6 3 and
1878-83
Ures (46) (San Miguel de)
Chihuahua (16)
Parral (Hidalgo del) (9) 1874
Rio Florido (Coronado) 1856 (?) Reported to
Chihuahua thereafter.
Saltillo (Leona Yicario) (31)
Monterey (Monterrey) (28)
States on the Pacific Ocean
Lower California, Territory.
Sinaloa
Tepic, Territory
Jalisco (Xalisco)
Colima
Michoacan
Guerrero (Guerero)
Oaxaca
Chiapas
La Paz (der Friede) (15)
Mazatlan (24)
Tepic (10)
C.(iudad) Guzman (14) Zapotlan el Grande)
Cocula (14)
Guadalajara (Guadalaxara) (27)
Lagos (9)
Mascotta (Reported to Cocula)
Colima (Coliman, Villa Alvarez) (7)
Maravatio (5)
Morelia (Valladolid) (28)
Tlalpujahua 1856-1866
Zamora (11)
Acapulco (3)
C.(iudad) Bravos (Chilpancingo) (11)
Iguala (Yguala) (C. Igula de Iturbid) 1861-66
Tixtla (Tixtla de Guerrero) 1856-1868
Oaxaca (Oajaca) (34)
Capitol. San Cristobal las Casas (Central [31]
P. O.) A small place, Chiapa, in this state
is not meant to be designated.
*On the 30th September, 1875, there were in Mexico 855 post offices
classified as follows: One General Post Office, Mexico, 53 principal offices
and 801 subordinate offices. The number of subordinate offices reporting
to the designated principal office is indicated after the name. A complete
list will be found in Chapman’s “Eagle and Maximilian Stamps of Mexico.”
Only the principal offices are important in connection with the issues of
1874-83 as the problems concerning Habilitados and sub-consignments are
not involved.
10
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
States
Tamaulipas
Veracruz
Tobasco
Campeche
Yucatan
Durango
Zacatecas
Aguascalientes
San Luis Potosi
Guanajuato
Queretaro
Hidalgo
Federal District
Mexico
Morelos
Puebla
Tlaxcala
States on the Gulf of Mexico
Postal Districts Established
Camargo 1857-68
C.(iudad) Victoria (Victorio de Tamaulipas)
(Aguayuo) (12)
Matamores (5)
Tampico (11)
Tula de T. (amaulipas) (2)
Cordoba (Cordova) (4)
Jalapa (Xalapa) (21)
Orizava (Orizaba) (5)
Tuxpan (Tuspan) (Tuxpam) (3)
Villacruz (Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz) (26)
Surcharge refers to the state. Capitol, San
Juan Bautista. No town of the name ex¬
ists. (21)
Campeche (4)
I. (isla — Island) del Carmen 1856-186 6
Merida (33)
Central States
Durango (27)
Zacatecas (26)
Aguascalientes (Hot Springs) ( Aguascalles) (5)
S. (an) L.(uis) Potosi (27)
Guanajuato (Guanaxuato) (17)
Queretaro (32)
Apam ( 5 )
Huejutla (Huexotla) (17)
Pachuca (Pachuca de Guerrero) (13)
Tula (de Allende) (8)
Tulancengo (Tulacingo) (8)
Mexico (Megico) (Mejico)
Tacubaya (Atlacubayan) (7)
Cuautitlan (Quautitlan) (Coautitlan) (5)
Chaleo (10)
Ixtlahuaca 1856-1867
Jelotepec (Xilotepec de Abasolo) (5)
Lerma 185 6-1867
Sultepec (Zultepec) 1856
Soyaniquilpam 1856-1859
Temascaltepec (de Gonzalez) 1856-1859
Toluca (Tollocan) (24)
Texcoco 1859
Cuernavaca (7)
Puebla (de Zaragoza) (43)
Tehuacan (Teguacan) (6)
Tepeji (de la Seda) (Tepexi) (?)
Tlaxcala (Tlachcala) (6)
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
11
It would appear from this list that in the twenty-seven states, two ter¬
ritories, and the Federal District, there were at one time or another as
many as 73 head post offices established. During the currency of no one
issue, as late as 188 3, were there as many districts as this. In 1856 either
46 or 47 districts are known as the only names found surcharged on the
stamps. Some of these occur only on this issue. In particular: Ixtlahuaca
in 1856-1861 only; Lerma in 1856, 1864 and possibly 1861 (Caillebotte) ;
Sultepec in 185 6 and possibly 1861 (Caillebotte); Tamascaltepec in 1856;
Zapotlan in 1865-1866 only; Thalpujah.ua 1856-1866 only. In the 1874-
1878 issue there were 60 numbered districts, but only 53 or 54 principal
offices. Cordova No. 10 and also 61 has two numbers; 17 Guaymas? 18
Guanajuato? 41 Tepiji? 42 Tepic? 43 Texcoco? and 44 Tixtla? are eith¬
er extremely scarce or have yet to be discovered. From 1878 to 83 there
were 54 numbered districts, Colima receiving two numbers, 49 and 55.
12
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
POSTAL HISTORY OF MEXICO.
The important changes in the postal history of Mexico appear as usual
as a result of political events. The year 185 5 marked the end of the Santa
Anna influence and the formation of a new government directed by Al-
verez, Comonfort and Juarez, and by decree of February 21, 1856, Comon¬
fort, the temporary president, first introduced postage stamps, the post¬
master-general being G-. Prieto. The stamps are now generally conceded
to have been delivered to the postmasters July 31st and sold first to the
public of Mexico City August 1, 18 5 6. Like most periods this was one
of revolutions and it is remarkable that postal matters should thrive at all.
Comonfort was deposed in 1858 and according to the constitution Juarez,
as chief justice, was entitled to the presidency but was unable to overcome
the conservatives until January 11, 1861. That is, the first issue might be
called that of Comonfort, consisting of the colored impressions on white
paper (1856-1861) and the second, black, gray black or green on colored
papers which might be designated as that of Juarez (Jan. 1861-1863).
The excesses of all parties led to foreign intervention, culminating in
1863, when Louis Napoleon’s army entered the City of Mexico and Max¬
imilian, Archduke of Austria, accepted the throne and attempted to estab¬
lish the Empire of Mexico. Juarez continued to keep a force in the north¬
ern states opposed to the imperialists. This accounts for the republican
issue under Juarez at a date coincident with those of the empire.
The same postmaster general under whom stamps were introduced, G-.
Prieto, had ordered them from the American Bank Note Company of New
York, and the first lot had arrived a few days before Juarez was obliged
to leave Mexico City by the French, June 10, 1863. Juarez in his retreat
took the stamps and postal authorities with him, first to S. L. Potosi, then
to Saltillo, and then to Monterey, where his control was limited by the
French during the fall and winter, 18 6 3-64. In 1864 Guadalajara and
Zacatecas were occupied by the French and Juarez retreated to Chihuahua,
and in 18 65 retreated further north to Paso del Norte on the Rio Grande.
His stamps of a consequent revolutionary or local character, like those of
the Carlists in Spain, were known positively to have been used in Chihua¬
hua, Monterey and Saltillo. In 186 7 matters turned again in Juarez’s
favor and the remaining lots were forwarded through agents in Washing¬
ton, but some having been stolen, the issue was demonetized.
Meanwhile the post of the empire, controlling most of Mexico, issued
the so-called eagle issue, the old arms of Mexico with a crown on the eagle.
The first 117 lots, distributed without number and date, can be found,
though scarce, without or with the district name. From then on they were
numbered and dated to indicate the office to which each consignment was
sent. In 18 64 consignments 118 to 17 9 were surcharged in large Egyptian
types and sent to 33 large offices to be followed very soon in the same
year by a similar surcharge in ordinary type which continued in 1864, in
18 65 and in 186 6 until the Maximilian head issue of August, 186 6. The
issues of the empire are described in detail in the splendid work of Mr.
Chapman. One finds for the first time the sub-postoffice surcharge, lend¬
ing to the series issued to certain cities a greater interest than to others,
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
13
and where combined with the “Habilatado” system introduces often an
element of great uncertainty.
The Maximilian set of 186 6 was the first to be issued primarily be¬
cause the old plates were worn out.
On the 21st of June, 1867, Mexico again came under the direction of
Juarez with postal affairs in an extreme state of disorder. In the city of
Mexico stamps similar to 18 61, possibly in some cases from old plates, and
in certain others from new plates, were issued, surcharged “Mexico” in
Gothic, June 18 67, to be followed in July by similar stamps on paper wat¬
ermarked “R. P. S.’j — Renta (del) Papel Sellado July, 1867, which were
used mainly in Mexico City but current everywhere in the new republic.
Certain other postmasters brought out provisional issues, the undoubtedly
genuine being those from Guadalajara, Chiapas, and Campeche. Those
probably bogus and intended to defraud collectors are those from Cuerna¬
vaca, Monterey and Patzcuaro, and among those certainly so, may be men¬
tioned Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Morelia, Chaleo, Vera Cruz, Oaxaca and Que-
retaro.
It was not until August, 18 68, that the Juarez government was able
to sell stamps with the new design to the general public, and the head of
Hidalgo again furnished proof of a republic throughout Mexico. The Ha-
bilitado system was not often exercised in this issue and the sub-station
method disappears.
Marking the advent of his second election as president, Juarez brings
out the issue of 1872-74. With this issue the sale and use of the stamps
were restricted to the district corresponding to the number surcharged
thereon and the reason for this change follows:
The habit of sending postage stamps in lieu of money orders, espec¬
ially for small sums which in the aggregate amounted to a great deal, was
steadily increasing. These the receivers usually sold at a discount often
as much as 25%, in order to realize ready cash, causing a loss to the gov¬
ernment, first in the money order business and again in its sales of stamps.
Therefore on April 12, 1871, a decree was issued announcing a new issue
to be restricted as to sale and currency to the several districts and afford¬
ing the public a month’s time in which to redeem their holdings of the
18 68 issue. As these stamps came in they were surcharged ANOTADO, that
is, noted, withdrawn and placed in retirement. Most of these passed ulti¬
mately from a complaisant postmaster into the hands of stamp dealers.
Early in 1872, however, the new issue proved too small to supply the de¬
mand and a few of the Anotado stamps were undoubtedly sold. to the pub¬
lic as a provisional issue. Original used copies are correspondingly scarce
and the unused copies of very little worth.
This last issue under Juarez appeared in April, 1872, and Juarez died
July 18, 1872, to be succeeded by Serdo de Tejada. The authorities be¬
came ambitious to improve their postage stamps and for the second time
entered into a contract with a foreign concern, the American Bank Note
Company of New York early in 187 3, and the issue with which this hand
book is concerned was ultimately delivered and sold to the public May 5,
1874. Tejada was succeeded by Diaz in 1876 and tire Diaz government
made the last effort further to control the postal issues, not only by re¬
stricting the sale to the districts, but in 1878 limiting the use of the 1874
issue to inland postage only, and in March, 1879, brought out a new issue
14
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
for foreign postage, previously making a change of values to bring the
service in accord with the Postal Union, which Mexico joined at this date.
The issues of July, 1882, were of a similar character, all contemporaneous
with the issue of 1874-83. In 1884 the traditional district control system
by means of surcharges ceased, never to be renewed.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
15
Postal Control System of Mexico
A Mexican collection amounts to little without some evidence of
knowledge of the peculiar control system adopted by the postal authorities.
According to the decree of July 17, 1856, after their manufacture, all
stamps were left with the secretary of the treasury who furnished them at
the call of the postmaster general in Mexico City. They were counted
upon delivery and placed in a special vault to which a key was furnished
to each of the three superior executive officers of the Post Office Depart¬
ment. They were delivered as called for by these officers to the district
postmasters, who were ordered to stamp them immediately upon their ar¬
rival with their special control marks, that is, with the district names.
When so surcharged they were good at first throughout Mexico but after
August 12, 1871, they could not be used outside of the postal district
named.
Naturally all sorts of things happened to break this order. Some
postmasters found it difficult to obtain a hand stamp in time and then lost
it when obtained. Through complaisance many handstamps were sold and
often, through carelessness, stamps were forwarded through the mails
without the surcharge. The central authorities were doubtless equally
complaisant for cash or otherwise, and thousands of officials enjoyed the
franking privilege, using stamps without a surcharge. Unused without
the name, the stamp is probably of the remainder variety and always so
when cancelled with straight lines. It follows that stamps without the
name used with a town cancellation are as a rule worth more than those
with the name, but uncancelled they are not so valuable.
Red tape again failed to meet the demand of the public and often as
the lower values ran out some desperate postmaster sold halves or even
quarters and eighths of the higher values which are not uncommon and
very desirable on genuine covers. From the first this practice was forbid¬
den but necessity knew no law.
The eagle issue of 18 64 marks a new departure in the control system.
The first 117 lots were sent without any surcharge and form a scarce set
by themselves. Thereafter, beginning with parcel 118, 1864, they were
surcharged so that the stamp bore on its face the district and year. In
1864 the numbers began with 1 again, running to 225, and in 186 6 from
1 to 131. In the eagle issue certain main offices furnished consignments
as required to the smaller offices in their districts which apparently at
times included towns in other states usually near the border line. These
were surcharged with a single number in addition to the district number,
date and name, to indicate the office supplied and are called sub-districts.
Only twelve of the main offices appear to have done this and in some cases
they are probably so-called “Habilatados”. The Habilatados are to be ex¬
plained otherwise. From time to time, usually at the first of the year, the
general head post office in Mexico called for an accounting and unused
stamps might be returned and redeemed. Instead of destroying these they
were again surcharged with a number assigned to a new district, some¬
times appearing with both names and frequently with, only the first. It
is therefore not always easy to determine whether one is dealing with a
sub-district or a veritable Habilatado. The large main offices had, of course,
several consignments and are associated with many different numbers,
16
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
nearly all of which have been located, whereas the smaller offices frequent¬
ly have only one or two. In this and in the following Maximilian issue
the stamps were good anywhere in Mexico and a collection can be made of
stamps assigned to one district but used in another. There is no such
reason for collecting all possible numbers as is the case with the 1872 and
1874 issues, for after August 12, 1871, stamps could be used lawfully only
in the district to which they were sent, as indicated by the number, date
and name. That is, the surcharges begin to indicate a separate issue for
every postal district. Habilatados cease after 1872, with one or two pos¬
sible exceptions, but on the other hand, to confuse the student a variety
of different papers and watermarks appear, which in the issue of 1874-83
are especially interesting. Again the first supply of 1872 fell short of the
demand, and to help out, some stamps of the retired issue of 1868 were
surcharged “Anotado”, which means noted, registered, and replaced in
circulation.
From a broad point of view, with many exceptions, the following order
in surcharging was maintained:
1856-64 Name of district only or without surcharge.
18 64-72 Introduction of date and district number to locate the central
post office supplied and occasionally without surcharge.
1872-77 The number restricted the sale to the district indicated.
1878-83 Sale and use restricted to the district corresponding to the num¬
ber and a special issue for the Postal Union.
1883 on Without surcharge.
The district name was not absolutely essential but was directed to be
surcharged by the department. The manner of so doing was left to the
discretion of the local authorities, and many of the best collections have
distinguished between the several varieties adopted from time to time in
each district. Not only can sets be formed with different lettering, but also
in different colors, and this work has proved of great value in the detec¬
tion of counterfeits. For example, in the series 1878-83 Vera Cruz appears
in six authentic types, always in black; Zacatecas in but one type, but in
black, blue, vermilion, carmine, or violet; while Guanajuato affords nine
authentic types and six different colors.
Stamps of the latter issues without the name and with a town can¬
cellation are scarce but not uncommon when accompanied with a cancella¬
tion indicating the franking privilege.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
17
Issue of 1874-88
Designs
All seven, like most of their predecessors, contain the bust of Pfarres
Miguel Hidalgo in an oblong or oval frame. It is remarkable that were it
not for the postage stamps this man would today be unknown and forgot¬
ten outside of Mexico. He was in fact the first to raise the standard of
revolt against Spain in Mexico and is revered there as the George Wash¬
ington of his country, a reverence shared only with Juarez. Very little
is known about him and curious mistakes concerning the name were com¬
mon in early stamp catalogues. He was born May 8, 1753, and became
Pfarres, that is priest, in the vicinity of Guanajuato. He worked most of
his life for the improvement of his country and, in particular, introduced
the silk worm. It was the destruction of his vines by order of the gov¬
ernment that led to his attempt to free Mexico from Spain. On September
10, 1810, he raised his standard and at one time commanded an army of
20,000 men, captured Guanajuato and Valladolid, was proclaimed general¬
issimo of the Mexican army, and advanced on the city of Mexico itself.
On his way to gather .ammunition in the United States he was betrayed by
a former friend and shot at Chihuahua, July 27, 1811. He is regarded as
a saint by Mexicans and the place of his execution is exhibited to this day
as a holy place. It is interesting to note that the town of Goliad, Texas,
was named after him, the H being silent and the other letters rearranged.
18
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Paper
A decree dated March 20, 1874, ordered that all old issues should be
demonetized and the new sold at all post offices in Mexico on and after
May 5, 1874. In 1873 the American Bank Note Company of New York
began their manufacture and delivery, making the last January 29, 1874,
and at the same time delivered the plates into the care of Mexican repre¬
sentatives and workmen in New York. Later these plates and workmen
were transported to Mexico and the manufacture continued there under
the direct control of the postal authorities. The precise date when local
manufacture began is not known, but probably about the last of 1875 when
the various papers issued by the local government began to appear and the
stamps assumed new shades. It is probable that all the ordinary wove
paper varieties from 1874 to 1877 on thick medium or thin crisp paper
are traceable to the American company, the more so as the earlier stamps
appear to be Vs mm. larger than the later stamps, a fact first noted by
Lowenhagen. The New York supply of the lower values ran out first and
they began to appear on narrow vertically laid paper near the end of 1876
and in 1877. On the other hand, the 100c on this laid paper is extremely
scarce and probably but one printing of this occurred in 1877. (Tables IV
and V.)
One issue of the 25c in 1877 (Table VI) occurred on narrow horizon¬
tally laid paper in the milky blue shade. This is next to the rarest stamp
in the issue and the scarcest paper.
This was followed for a short time by the wide horizontally laid pa¬
per, which Herr Puschel, F. de Ccppet and Farrari tried in vain to get
M. Moens to catalogue until 1889. The 10c and the 25c were printed on
this paper, which appears to have come from Paris. In studying the 10c
in 1916 I found the watermark “IX” and afterwards LAC and RE on the
25c. Several complete sheets carried no watermark, but finally two of
the 25c were discovered that carry the entire watermark “LACROIX FRE-
RES”. This differs, of course, from the LA + F of the 1872 issue that caused
so much interest in the nineties. For example, Puschel first declared its
■existence and thought it stood for SACK + VILLE, the name of another
paper manufacturer. I do not know at this writing who claims to have
settled the matter. The letters in this later issue are smaller and the
name written in full without the cross. “Freres” frequently shows above
La Croix and may occur anywhere, although most of the sheets do not
show it at all. (Table VII.)
In 1876-1877 also we find all values on medium wove or vertically
laid paper, except possibly the 100c on laid paper, bearing the watermark
“PAPELSELLADO” similar in every respect to that found on the 1872
issue, a discovery again claimed by several collectors, including Herr Pus¬
chel. This paper, especially the vertically laid, was only used for a short
time, and stamps showing these watermarks are very much scarcer than
in the 1872 issue. This closes the paper varieties in the stamps issued
from 1874-1877 inclusive, and they should form an issue by themselves
for the following reasons.
THE 1874-188' 3 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
19
District Surcharges
Official control was facilitated since the very beginning by surcharging
number, date and name, although the name only appears on the first issue
.and' frequently the number and date only on the later issues. This was
the rule to which there are interesting exceptions. It was frequently stated
that these numbers and names conformed to the several states of Mexico,
but this is not the case, as some states have several postal districts. There
were about fifty-four, more or less, varying slightly from time to time.
'They all retained the same number in the 1874-1877 issue except Cordova
whose number was changed, and with the exception of Mexico which was
number one, are found in alphabetical order.
The printing of the number and date, the latter abbreviated, was
obligatory, but apparently the name was not, as sets can be made without
the name for all dates, although when used generally much rarer. They
were printed uniformly in black about the middle of the stamps, the num¬
ber at the left and the date at the right, the name appearing “ad libitum”
in every possible position, except Mexico, which is invariably in a semi¬
circle at the top.
These surcharges served as control marks and checks upon the local
postmasters and it was unlawful, subjecting the user or seller to fine and
imprisonment, to sell or use them outside of the district to which they
were issued. More than this, robberies of postmasters and mails were
frequent in Mexico, and the surcharges helped greatly in locating the
criminals and rendering similar pleasantries unpopular.
In 1878 the authorities decided to increase the rates on foreign mail,
to issue special stamps for foreign postage and restrict the 1874 issue to
inland postage. This decision was marked by changing the numbers of
the postal districts, which was done simply by reversing them as to their
order and indicated by surcharging the stamps with the number and date
close together.
Delay occurred in making the new stamps, using up and recalling the
■old, and the issue of 1878 thus surcharged was still used for foreign post¬
age, and those thus used in 1878 were first surcharged with the number
.and date close together at or very near the bottom of the stamp. The de¬
cree restricting the Issue to inland postage was finally promulgated to take
■effect in March, 1879, and thereafter all the number and date surcharges
were to appear near the upper right corner, and from then on, with occa¬
sional exceptions, this is the case except always Mexico District, which re¬
mained as before. But, like all decrees, this failed to work with clock-like
regularity and some of the stamps thus issued, especially late in 1878 and
■until March, 1879, were used for foreign postage.
These stamps of late 1878 and 1879 thus surcharged form distinct
sets, therefore, and this is borne out by the paper used.
To mark the change it is very probable that remainders of the early
Issues were utilized. The 10c black was to be discarded and the 10c mus¬
tard used instead. Until this was ready the 10c black was surcharged
'with number and date below and close together, and supplied and used in
a very limited number of offices. This is always a scarce stamp especially
unused and without the name, and appears again on the old crisp wove,
■rather thin paper of the 1874 issue, and very rarely indeed on the thick
■ordinary wove paper, both of which carry the date 1878.
20
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
All the stamps, except perhaps the 5c, in any event scarce, appear on
the original ordinary wove paper and on the thick wove paper, all scarce,
especially without the name. On the other hand, the 5c shows most fre¬
quently on the ordinary close vertically laid paper, and very seldom the
25c. The very first 10c mustard can be found rarely on thick crisp wove
paper, and the 25c on the “Papel sellado” paper. In fact, probably all
can be found with 1878 above and to the right, watermarked “Papel sel¬
lado”, and I have specimens of the 5c, 25c, and 50c on medium quadrille
appearing paper of the 1874 issue- and the 5c on the vertically laid papers,
all of which show the watermark. These were not noticed as late as 189 6.
The 5c, vertically laid, is catalogued by Lawrence. I might as well claim
the 5c and 50c on medium wove paper, as they are mentioned for the first
time. Late in 1878 and early in 1879 the 5c again appears on paper laid
horizontally in broad lines. - This was apparently a discovery of Lawrence
and catalogued by him, but I have proved it to be the old La Croix Freres
issue of 1874 by finding one stamp watermarked “X”.
All of the above stamps belong to the first series (A), good for both
foreign and inland postage, although I chocse to include stamps surcharged
close together on the old papers, for the reasons given, in Class B by them¬
selves.
There remains one stamp to mention in series B that Lawrence claimed
to be as rare as any in Mexico, and that is the 10c black, 1878, surcharged
below number and date close together on the La Croix Freres paper. Law¬
rence owned one specimen and Dr. Morgenthau sold one once, described as
damaged. This with the watermark would be the limit as to rarity.
We come now to Group C, when the issue was restricted to inland
postage in March, 1879, and stamps surcharged “ ’79 to ’81” are fairly
common, the surcharge lying above from now on. Variety I on thick wove
paper is rarer without the name especially used and also Variety II on
medium close vertically laid paper.
We then come to the justly famous 100c thus surcharged on the old
“Papel sellado” paper mentioned by Lawrence. They are without a doubt
remainders thus surcharged; are in precisely the same shades and occur
again either on wove quadrille appearing paper or on rather thick vertically
laid paper. They are very much scarcer than the 1877 stamp, particularly
the laid, and still more so without the name used.
The mustard 10c of 1878 is scarce and changed in 1879 to red orange,
which is very common, but in 1880-1881 appears, by accident perhaps, on
ordinary paper and laid horizontally in narrow lines. The same stamp,
orange yellow, is claimed by Lawrence to appear in 1878.
The rather thin soft wove papers appear for the first time late in
1881-1882, Variety XXV, , and likewise the rather thin vertically laid in
narrow lines. These stamps are always confused, and likewise the very
thin paper varieties (Variety XXVII, 1882-1885) with the issues of late
1883, large figures, with the thin pelure, usually without surcharge, of 1884
which last was again good for foreign postage. Some are scarce and others
very common. Scott and all the other catalogues are all wrong on these
issues, which should be described as follows:
Variety XXVI and Variety XXVII on rather thin paper, wove or laid,
show small figures and the 2, 7 and 5 have horizontal straight lines; on the
other hand, the late 1883 series on very thin paper show large figures in-
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE* OF MEXICO.
21
variably and the horizontal lines of the 2, 5 and 7 are curved. Series XXIX
is the last restricted to inland postage.
By a decree effective January 1, 1884, all stamps of Mexico in circula¬
tion were good for both foreign and domestic postage again and prior to
the appearance of the new stamps the 1883 stamps were used in 1884*
The same decree abolished the time-honored custom of surcharged control
schemes, never to be renewed.
Classifying these in division D we find the 4c and 10c on thick paper,
vertically laid in narrow lines and the 4c only on thin vertically laid paper
and also on thick wove paper. All values occur on very thin wove and
none of the above were required to carry a surcharge. The laid papers are
scarce, but the last varieties without surcharge, impliedly, according to
Scott, scarce since unpriced, are not uncommon, especially unused. Used it is
another matter. Then they are scarce, and probably the 100c priced 75
cents does not exist used. Heitman mentions it at a guess probably, but
Lawrence was still looking for it in 1883, and so are the other collectors in
1917. This closes the list of the extraordinary number of varieties of
paper used in the issue 1874-1883, and as a matter presenting paper diffi¬
culties is by far the hardest issue to straighten out furnished by Mexico
to date.
The 1884 stamps are occasionally found with district names only and
the theory is that certain postmasters continued to surcharge the names for
self-protection against thieves or by sheer force of habit. Their scarcity
may be judged from the following data given by Caiman:
The 4c is known with surcharges Mexico, Chiapas, Maravatio. The 5c
with Jalapa only. The 10c with Colima, Apam, Aguas Calientes, Guada¬
lajara, Jalapa, Maravatio, Monterey, Pachuca, Tlaxcala and Zacatecas. The
25c with Chiapas, C. Guzman, Mazatlan, Mexico, Queretaro, S. L. Potosi
and Vera Cruz, and the 50c with Chiapas, Merida, S. L. Potosi and Mexico.
The 100c has yet to be found with name only.
The relative scarcity of the 100c of 1880 watermarked “Papel sellado”
is shown by the fact that it is only known to Lawrence from 13 out of the
55 districts, and of these only two on laid paper, Vera Cruz and Oaxaca.
To these I can add only Matamoras on wove (2880) a pair and Morelia
(2480) and Mexico (5480) on laid paper. Note by comparison the 100c
of 1876-1877 occurs, according to Lawrence, in 18 districts on wove paper
only and not at all on laid. I have nothing to add and never saw it on
laid either. The 5c occurs in four districts, 8, 50, 56 and 61 on wove, and
in 12, 16, 27, 28, 30, 33, 34, 36, 50, 51 on laid, — ten in all. The 10c black
occurs on wove in fifteen, namely: 7, 11, 15, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 33, 34, 35,
36, 50, 61; and only twice, namely, 33, 37, on laid. I can add to the last
29 on laid. The 50c occurs 11 times on wove, namely, 8, 10, 12, 20, 23,
27, 28, 29, 49, 51, 56; and only twice, 16 and 55, on laid, to which I can
contribute 8 (a pair) and 30. It will be obvious that laid paper water¬
marked is a rare stamp.
The new varieties I have discovered watermarked are those in Variety
XII, 1878, namely: vertically laid, 5c, 33, Jalapa, 19, Queretaro and 25,
Monterey; broad horizontally laid, 1878, 2, Zacatecas, a unique rarity; on
thick quadrille wove paper 5c, 4978, Colima and 50c, 3778, Guadalajara.
Without doubt these are all extremely scarce.
22
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Prices
Tabulated issues lack considerably in interest when no indication is
furnished concerning the comparative rarity of the stamps. This can best
be done by pricing them, but no enlightened effort has ever reached the
press since the publication of Heitman’s Hand Book which appeared work¬
ed out as far as Newfoundland in 18 96. The valii^s in the following tables
are largely based on those established at this comparatively early date by
Messrs, v. Schell and Anheisser at Dusseldorf. Of all the issues the one in
hand had received the least attention at this date when it was practically
the last to reach Europe, and data concerning their comparative rarity
must have been lacking to a great extent. The large stocks of the 1874
issue were concentrated in St. Louis, San Francisco, Chicago, New York,
London, Paris, and Berlin, and were apparently sufficiently common to be
relegated extensively to cheap packets and the scrap heap. I am cred¬
ibly informed that there are no considerable number of the 1874 issue of
stamps left in Mexico. A very few lots of the 10c orange and the 25c can
be obtained semi-occasionally in wholesale lots of 100 or more, nearly al¬
ways composed solely of the common variety. The last issue of Gibbons
showed that London had awakened to a new interest in this issue (1917)
and several stocks that existed in this country found their way promptly
to London and Paris following the path of our Europeans, and :'f it were
not for our few specialists we would soon have nothing to show for our¬
selves except the United States, and there, since the Earl of Crawford’s
collection returned, we reign alone in glory. When available, the prices
quoted are based on Heitman and Gibbons.
I gained considerable light on this question from prices furnished by
one dealer in New York and one in London. It is worthy of comment that
I could only make a partial showing without the aid of London and proves
a condition that will confront us more and more if we continue to collect
and sell without real knowledge of stamps. Our catalogues are made to
sell large quantities of common stamps for more than they are worth to
many indifferent space fillers and to buy good stamps for less than they
are worth. On the whole this condition is not unfavorable to the specialist
but bad for our stock at large, which has seen its best slowly but surely
drafted to Europe. The 1874 issue also marks the introduction of the
decimal system and a change of postal rates. The 5c and the 10c take
the place of the 6c and 12c in the old issues. The Mexicans had at this
time the zone system of postage. In the first zone, 1 to 16 Mexican miles
(5.565 Km) 10c, 17 miles and over, 25c, and a simple registered letter, 1
Peso, 100c, etc.
The plates show 10 rows of 10 stamps each, that is, 100 to the sheet,
and show above, below and on both sides in the color of the stamp the im¬
print “American Bank Note Co. New York” and the last carries in addition
on the side a colored guide line, very scarce, almost invariably torn away
by the perforations. The centering was very good in the New York work
but became very irregular quite soon, making well centered copies very
desirable. Prices, of course, are for perfect copies with gum.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
23
ISSUE A.
District Number and Date Wide Apart
Local and Foreign Mail
Table I
Rather thin crisp wove paper — Printed by American Bank Note Co.,
N. Y. No watermark.
No Surch. No. & Date Only No., Date, Dist.
Unused only Unused Used Unused Used
1
5c chestnut brown
20.00
68
80
60
45
2
10c gray black
10.00
12
25
15
04
3
25c blue
20.00
45
60
50
12
4
50c green
20.00
1 00
1 50
1 25
75
5
100c rose carmine
20.00
1 75
1 90
1 90
1 25
Note 1. The stamps without the surcharge are samples submitted to
the Mexican authorities or the few remainders left over from the first sup¬
ply that escaped, thanks to the courtesy of the officials. They are beautiful
in comparison with most of their fellows, splendidly engraved and print¬
ed, well centered and perforated. They are very scarce indeed the 10c be¬
ing the most common. A few of the remainders of the 10c on this paper
still existed in 1877 and were surcharged with number and date close to¬
gether at the bottom of the stamp (see Issue B).
Note 2. There are several shades of the 5c and at least two are dis¬
tinct, the yellow brown 1874 being the most common used. A dark brown
on this paper is the scarcest. Without name, unused .75 — used .85; with
district, unused .86— used .65. The 25c in deep blue is worth one-third
more. The 50c light or moss green one-third less. There is practically
but one shade of the 100c.
Note 3. As a general rule stamps with number and date only are
cheaper unused and much scarcer used than the corresponding values with
the district name.
Note 4. This set can be found with dates anywhere between 1874 and
1877 but nearly all except the 50c and 100c were used by the end of 1876.
It is not easy to distinguish always between the last and the first Mexican
printings because paper, plates and workmen were all transferred together
from New York to Mexico. The last delivery of stamps from the American
Bank Note Company direct to the Mexican Government occurred January
29, 1874, and their use began May 1, 1874.
24
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Table II
Thick wove paper — Printed in Mexico or New York. No watermark.
No. Date
Only
No. Date,
Dist.
1874-77
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
6
5c chestnut brown
74-75
15
35
18
15
6a
5c yellow brown
74-77
12
30
15
12
6b
5c dark brown
76-77
20
50
25
18*
7
10c black
74-77
12
25.
15
04
8
25c blue
74-77
20
30
25
06
8a
25c deep blue
76
45
30
50
18*
8 b
25c dull blue
76-77
30
45
35
16*
9
50c dark green
74-75
68
85
75
25
9a
50c moss green
76-77
58
75
55
75
10
100c carmine
74-77
75
1 00
85
20
* Mexican print.
Note 1. It is doubtful if any of this very thick paper was furnished
by the American Bank Note Company, but the 1874 stamps were doubtless
on paper obtained in New York and probably printed there before the work¬
men were transferred to Mexico. This is brought out by the fact that
thick wove paper specimens may be found from 1874 to 1877 but the shade
and the workmanship are distinctly Mexican.
Note 2. All the stamps of the 1874-1877 dates are perforated 12 all
around, including the corner and margin stamps until 1877 as a rule. In
1874-1875 all, in 1876 nearly all, and occasionally only in 1877. In 1877
the margins and corner stamps were as a rule not perforated on the mar¬
ginal sides and were unquestionably printed in Mexico.
Note 3. The prices indicate the comparative scarcity of the surcharge
number and date only, used, but not correctly. The used stamps without
the district are scarce, especially the 50c and the 100c.
Table III
Ordinary medium wove paper — Printed in Mexico or New York. No
Watermark.
Without Surch.
No. Date Only
No. Date, Dist.
Re¬
1874-77
Unused
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
marks
11
5c chestnut brown
—
15
35
18
15
74-75
11a
5c yellow brown
—
12
30
15
12
74-77
lib
5c dark brown
—
20
50
25
18
76-77
12
10c black
10
12
25
15
04
74-77
13
25c blue
—
20
30
25
06
74-77
13a
25c deep blue
—
45
50
50
18
76
13b
25c dull blue
—
30
45
40
15
76-77
14
50<c dark green
—
65
85
75
25
74-75
14a
50c yellow green
—
55
75
55
75
76-77
15
100c carmine
—
75
75
85
20
74-77
15a
100c deep carmine
—
90
90
1 00
50
76-77
Note 1. This set is very nearly the same as that listed in Table II.
The 25c and 100c are known imperforate and are similar to the other proofs.
They are not recognized as ever having been used without the surcharge.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
25
Note 2. The stamps in Tables II and III should differentiate them¬
selves from those of Table I somewhat in the texture of the paper, which
leans toward thickness and is not so crisp, and especially in the date, which
is nearer 76-77, though not exclusively. The shades indicate Mexican work¬
manship and the New York paper. They are the ordinary stamps with the
same prices as in Table II according to the authorities, but those in Tables
I and II are too low.
Note 3. The stamps will be found with double perforation and errors
of surcharge. These are grouped together later.
Table IV
Medium vertically laid paper — Printed in Mexico 1876-1877. No Wat¬
ermark.
Without Sur.
No. & Date. Only
No. Date Dist.
Unused
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
16
5c yellow brown
— .
75
75
45
25
16a
5c dark brown
80
1 00
50
35
17
10c black
80
1 00
75
45
18
25c blue
— -
80
1 00
75
40
18a
25c dark blue
—
—
—
. —
19
50c moss green
3 25
3 75
1 85
1 25
20
100c rose carmine
—
—
—
—
—
Note 1. I have failed to obtain the three known stamps on vertically
laid paper without the surcharge, perforated, but have a pair of the 25c
unperforated that ' is probably of the character of a proof or unfinished
stamp. All the laid papers are comparatively scarce and the 100c is decid¬
edly so. As will be observed, those with number and date only are difficult
to obtain, especially used. To date I have only seen the 10c used and
have no copy of the 100c. I have only one copy of the 100c with the dis¬
trict name Monterey, unused.
Note 2. Ribbed paper. This set is listed by Lawrence as existing on
horizontally ribbed paper. While this might happen accidentally I have
yet to find one.
Table V
Thick vertically laid paper, narrow lines. Printed in Mexico, 1876-1877.
No. and Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
21
5c yellow brown
75
75
45
25
21a
5c dark brown
80
1 00
50
35
22
10c black
80
1 00
75
45
22a
10c intense black
... —
—
75
40
23
25c blue
80
1 00
75
40
24
50c moss green
3 25
3 75
1 85
1 25
25
100c rose carmine
—
— -
—
Table Y is, of course, similar to Table IV, but if anything the thick
vertically laid paper is rather more common but sufficiently scarce to be
remarkable. The corner stamps in 1877 are nearly always unperforated
on two sides. The 100c is very rare. I have a pair with district name,
unused, also from Monterey.
26
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Table VI
Narrow horizontally laid paper. Printed in Mexico 1876-77. No Watermark.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used
26 25c milky blue 3 10 3 75 3 75 3 10 Scott 10 00 1 50
Note 1. No. 26 is one of the very scarce stamps of the series. Scott’s
price $10. unused is nearer the mark. One of the gems of my collection is
a strip of seven unused with name from Toluca, 1877. Vera Cruz, S. L.
Potosi and Merida are the only other names I have found. On this stamp
the noted tarantula cancellation occurs. It appears as an extensive net
work on the stamp showing as a tarantula on an entire. It is paid for
when recognized.
Note 2. Collin and Caiman list this stamp watermarked Papel Sellado.
I have yet to find it and doubt its existence.
Table VII
Thin broad horizontally laid paper. Watermarked “La Croix Freres”.
Printed in Mexico 1877.
No. Date Only
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
Unused
Used
27
10c
intense black
50 50
50
50 Priced by Scott
27a
10c
Wmk.*
— —
—
—
28
25c
dark blue
10 10
10
10
28 a
25c
Wmk.*
— —
—
—
*Note 1. I claim the d'seovery of the watermark “LACROIX FRE¬
RES”, the French paper and the name. It appears only on some of the
sheets like the Canada watermark and differs as indicated from the same
makers’ mark on the 1872 issue that in the eighties caused so much con¬
troversy, which finally reduced to the form LA + F. In Heitman’s Hand
Book we find Messrs, v. Schell, Anheisser and Puschel commenting on
their discovery of the 1872 watermark at great length, and it is very inter¬
esting to note that they finally interpreted the form to be SACK + VILLE,
and were led to this conclusion because the general post office used paper
with this watermark. Where a resemblance in some of the letters occurred
it is hard to say, and it might be that after all there are two watermarks
on the 1872 issue. That the watermark LACROIX FRERES on the 1877
stamp with wide horizontally laid paper escaped notice until 1917 is almost
beyond belief, but if any note thereof exists in print I am not aware of it.
One reason is that it does not occur on every sheet but only semi-occasion-
ally, and another is that the broad laid lines are about the same in width
as those of the watermark and make it very obscure. I first noticed IX
on the 10c and again IX on the 10c, then RE on the 25c and then LAC on
the 25c, and finally found the entire watermark without any cross on the
25c.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
27
Note 2. The prices fixed by Heitman for these stamps unwatermarked
are altogether too high and Scott’s quotations are given instead. Accord¬
ing to Heitman, 10c 2 00, 1 50, and 1 50, 2 00; 25c 2 50, 3 00, 3 00,
2 50. Watermarked they are extremely scarce.
La Croix Freres Watermarks.
The 187 2 Watermark.
The 1877 Watermark.
The watermark shows in two lines the word FRERES appearing often
above LACROIX and portions of a letter showing on different stamps. About
10 stamps in 100 would show traces on a sheet on which it appears at all
and in full.
THE PAPEL SELLADO WATERMARK.
Photographic reproduction from a piece of the original dandy roll in the possession of the Nassau Stamp Co.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
29
Table VIII
Medium wove paper, “Quadrille Appearance”, Watermarked “Papel
Sellado”. Printed in Mexico 1876-1877.
29
5c yellow brown
No. Date Only
Unused Used
2 00 2 50
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
2 15 2 15
29a
5c dark brown
2 00
2 50
2 15
2 15
30
10c black
1 75
2 50
1 85
1 85
31
25c blue
3 00
5 00
3 15
3 15
32
50c mess green
4 40
6 10
5 00
5 00
33
100c rose carmine
6 80
8 75
7 50
7 50
Note 1. In general the
“Papel Sellado”
stamps
of this issue are
very
much scarcer and harder to locate than in the 1872 issue, and Scott has
had to price them lower because they were discovered independently by
their office about 18 96 and they preserved a good line of stock. They are
distinctly worth more from the standpoint of rarity. The gentleman quoted
above in Heitman claims their discovery but on the 187 6-1877 stamps of
the series with number and date wide apart. This last was extended by
Collin and Caiman to include the 100c, 1880-1881, and one 25c, 1878, on
wove paper only. I have been able to make several additions to the latter
list as late as 1917, which serves as a sufficient commentary on the way
this particular issue of Mexico has been neglected, all the more remarkable
when one considers the microscopic investigation afforded the previous
issues.
Note 2. This set may be collected on the same paper without the wat¬
ermark.
Table IX
Medium close vertically laid paper, Watermarked “Papel Sellado”,
Printed in Mexico, 1876-1877.
34
5c yellow brown
No. Date
Unused
2 50
: Only
Used
3 75
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
3 15 3 15
34a
5c dark brown
2 50
3 75
3 15
3 15
35
10c black
2 15
3 15
2 50
2 50
35a
10c intense black
4 30
6 10
5 00
5 00
36
25c blue
5 00
7 50
6 25
6 25
37
50c moss green
—
—
—
_ *
38
100c carmine
—
—
— t
*1 have three copies. tNo dist. Authority, Collin & Caiman.
Note 1. The existence of 38 is possible. On the other hand, the stock
of the 100c held out longer than that of the smaller values, as it was pre¬
viously a registered letter rate and it is quite probable that few of the 50c
and none of the 100c printed on this very short-lived laid paper were used
at this date. That the 100c was printed is certain as it appears as a re¬
mainder in 1880, see Table XXIII.
Note 2. This set may be collected on the same paper without the wat¬
ermark.
District Names 1874-1877
The foregoing nine tables illustrate the several papers used in Issue A
(1874-1877), number and date surcharged far apart. It is interesting to
30
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
note that this calls for about forty sets or approximately 200 stamps to
illustrate fully with all varieties of surcharge. This will include a margin
for pairs and blocks which have become rapidly very desirable and fast
disappearing. But nothing has been allowed as yet for the district varie¬
ties. This is a most interesting matter, especially as it is the last issue
(the so-called 1879 issue occurring simultaneously for foreign postage) to
retain the district method.
All the foregoing were used indiscriminately for either foreign or do¬
mestic postage and, as will appear, those also in Class B and until March,
1879.
The districts were numbered beginning with Mexico (1) and then al¬
phabetically to Zacatecas (51) following the order of the preceding issue.
The last nine districts were numbered from 52 to 61 in the order of their
construction. To this rule Guanajuato forms an exception and should have
been assigned 18, and Mr. Lockyer claims to have found them with that
number, but as a rule the number is 52. Number 17 also has never been
found. Cordova at first was assigned 10 and afterwards changed for some
unknown reason to 61; the former scarce in the low values, common in the
high values, while 61 reverses the order of rarity.
Tepic should read 42 and is generally found as 55. When Heitman
was published in 189 6 none had been discovered with Tepic 42, and Collin
and Caiman report the same. I have the 5 0c 42-76 without district, which
is certainly exceedingly scarce. 4 3 and 44, Texcoco and Textla, by rights,
and 41 Tepeji and 17 Guyamas have long been sought in vain. I have what
appears to be 4 3-77 but the name is difficult to decipher and is certainly
not Texcoco, and it is not a counterfeit to the best of my judgment. It is
an open question whether all the values exist in all the districts or not, but
nearly all do. I have before me a large number of these surcharges priced
by a specialist in London and another from Mr. Bartels which leads me for
the sake of reference to an attempt to tabulate them as follows, no atten¬
tion being paid to the paper in this connection, and all values referring to
used copies and on the most common paper.
Comparative Values, District Numbers, 1874-1877
No.
District Name
5c
10c
25c
50c
100c
1
Mexico
06
12
06
12
25
2
Acapulco (s)
*
—
—
—
—
3
Aguascalientes
—
—
—
*
4
Apam
*
25
*
5 00
*
5
Campeche (I. del
Counine)
*
30
—
—
—
6
Chaleo (v s)
*
—
*
Hs
*
7
Chiapas
25
12
—
—
25
8
Chihuahua
20
15
. . —
20
*
9
Colima
— _
—
06
—
s - -
10
Cordova
*
*
12
—
—
11
C. Bravos (s)
&
12
16
—
—
12
C. Victoria
18
15
—
15
13
Cuautitlan (e s)
*
*50
—
—
*
14
Cuernavaca (v s)
—
50
*
*
*
15
Durango
12
08
05
40
—
16
Guadalajara
■ — •
12
06
40
17
Guayamas (?)
*
.*
*
*
*
Never found
18
Guanajuato (?)
*
*
*
*
*
Never found.
See above & 52
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
31
Comparative Values, District Names, 1874-1877 (Continued)
No.
District Name
5c
10c
25c
50c
100c
19
Huejutla (e s)
—
70
*
—
*
20
Jalapa
—
12
50
18
—
21
Jilotepec (e s)
*
*
*
*
(?) Caillebotte
22
Lagos
— —
—
08
25
*
23
La Paz
—
*
25
—
24
Maravatio (s)
*
*
S; - .
*
*
25
Matamores
18
08
30
—
26
Mazatlan
18
08
08
20
20
27
Merida
50
10
20
20
28
Monterey
12
06
08
20
25
29
Morelia
08
12
—
30
30
Oaxaca
16
30
06
20
25
31
Orizava
15
25
30
25
32
Otumba (e s)
❖
2 00
*
*
*
(?) Caillebotte
33
Pachuca
18
—
—
—
34
Puebla
18
08
06
25
30
35
Queretaro
—
12
06
KSJ |
36
Saltillo
12
06
06
*
*
37
S. L. Potosi
12
12
06
30
30
38
Tobasco (s)
1 25
75
•; —
1 00
*
39
Tacubaya (v s)
40
—
2 00
*
40
Tampico
BBS
08
—
*
—
41
Tepeji (?)
*
*
*
*
*
Not found
42
Tepic (?)
*
*
*
—
*
One copy (c)
43
Texcoco ( ? )
*
—
*
*
Not found
44
Tixtla (?)
*
*
*
*
*
Not found
45
Tlaxcala (v s)
%
75
75
*
*
46
Toluca
—
30
10
*
—
47
Tula (v s)
—
■ —
*
48
Tulincingo (v s)
'ilSlI
*
’ ■- —
*
50
49
Ures
—
08
—
50
Vera Cruz
12
08
06
20
25
51
Zacatecas
12
08
06
20
20
52
Guanajuato
12
08
06
15
25
53
Cocula
30
12
12
20
50
54
C. Guzman
25
15
06
20
25
55
Tepic
18
08
10
35
—
56
Parral
18
06
06
25
25
57
Tehuacan (s)
*
50
18
*
*
58
Tuxpan
18
25
12
30
30
59
Tula de T. (v s)
25
■ —
—
*
60
Zamora (s)
*
15
12
*
*
61
Cordova
25
15
12
*
*
Note: s — scarce; v s — very scarce; e s — exceedingly scarce.
Those unpriced may or may not be scarce, but I am not qualified to
state their value.
^Missing in collection to date.
Stamps known with Papel Sellado Watermark, 1874-1877
Those credited J. B. C. are in my collection, and all others claimed by
Lawrence.
No.
District
Value
Date
Paper
Authority
Surcharge
1
Mexico
10c
77
Laid (2)
J. B. C.
1
i i
25c
76
Wove
J. B. C.
1
6 i
25c
77
“
32
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Stamps Known
With Papel
Sellado
Watermark,
1874-1877
(Continued)
No.
District
Value
Date
Paper
Authority
Surcharge
5
Campeche
25c
77
Wove
None
7
Chiapas
10c
77
“
None
7
“
100c
77
J. B. C.
8
Chihuahua
5c
76
“
J. B. C.
8
25c
76
i i
8
50c
77
i (
None
8
( 4
50c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
None
8
4 4
100c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
10
Cordova
50c
76
Wove
11
C. Bravos
5c
76
* i
11
4 i
50c
76
Laid
J. B. C.
None
11
4 f
10c
77
Wove
12
C. Victoria
5c
77
Laid
12
50c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
None
13
Cuautitlan
25c
77
( i
14
Cuernavaca
25c
77
a
None
15
Durango
10c
77
Cl
None
15
100c
77
J. B. C.
None
16
Guadalajara
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
16
“
5c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
16
6 4
50c
77
Laid
16
“
100c
77
Wove
19
Huejutla
100c
77
None
20
Jalap a
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
20
“
50c
76
Wove
20
50c
77
“
None
23
La Paz
50c
75
i i
J. B. C.
26
Mazatlan
5c
76
6 i
26
6 l
5c
77
26
6 4
10c
77
U
26
25c
76
Laid
26
25c
77
Wove
27
Merida
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
None
27
4 4
10c
77
Wove (2)
J. B. C.
None
27
4 6
50c
77
“
J. B. C.
None
27
“
100c
77
“
28
Monterey
5c
77
Laid
28
“
10c
77
Wove
28
“
50c
77
“
28
100c
77
( i
29
Morelia
10c
77
Laid (3)
J. B. O.
None
29
i i
50c
77
Wove
29
i 4
100c
77
“
29
4 i
100c
77
“
None
30
Oaxaca
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
None
30
i 4
10c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
30
4 4
25c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
Period
30
25c
77
Laid
Franked
30
6 4
50c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
Period
30
i 4
100c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
None
31
Orizava
10c
77
“
Reddish violet
or blue
31
i i
25c
76
Reddish violet
31
t i
100c
77
“
a
33
Pachuca
5c
77
Laid
None
33
•*
10c
76
i 4
33
“
10c
77
£ i
33
“
10c
77
Wove
33
i i
25c
77
4 4
J. B. C.
None
33
a
25c
76
Laid
J. B. C.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
33
Stamps Known With Pap-el
Sellado
Watermark,
1874-1877
(Continued)
No.
District
Value
Date
Paper
Authority
Surcharge
33
i 4
25c
76
Laid
None
33
4 4
100c
76
Wove
34
Pnebla
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
None
34
4 4
10c
77
Wove
J. B. C.
34
4 4
25c
76
Laid
34
4 4
25c
76
Wove
34
4 4
100c
77
4 4
35
Qneretaro
10c
77
Wove
.35
“
100c
77
**
J. B. C.
35
4 4
100c
77
“
None
36
Saltillo
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
36
4 4
5c
77
4 4
None
3 6
4 4
10c
77
U
J. B. C.
None
36
4 4
10c
77
Wove
36
44
25c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
37
S, L. Potosi
10c
77
J. B. C.
None
37
4 4
10c
76
4 4
J. B. C.
37
4 4
25c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
37
44
25c
77
Wove
37
■ 4 4
25c
76
Laid
J. B. C.
] i 1
37
44
25c
75(2)
Wove
J. B. C.
» i j
46
Toluca
10c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
49
Ures
5c
77
Laid.
J. B. C.
None
49
4 4
10c
77
“
J. B. C.
49
4 4
25c
77
£ 4
49
4 4
25c
76
4 4
None
49
4 4*
50c
77
W ove
49
4 4
50c
75
6 4
49
4 4
100c
77
44
5 0
Vera Cruz
5c
77
4 i
None
50
5c
77
Laid
50
“
5c
77
'4 4
None
50
4 4
10c
77
Wove
50
4 4
25c
77
4 4
50
4 4
50c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
51
Zacatecas
5c
77
Laid
J. B. C.
51
5c
77
None
51
44
50c
76 ■
Wove
51
44
100c
77
J. B. C.
5 2
Guanajuato
25c
77
Wove
None
52
4 4
50c
77
44
52
4 4
100c
77
44
J. B. G.
None
52
44
100c
77
44
J. B. C.
53
Cocula
25c
77
4 4
53
€ 4
25c
76 & 77
44
None
55
Tepic
50c
76
Laid
56
Parra!
5c
77
4 4
None
56
4 4
5c
77
44
56
44
10c
77
Wove
56
4 4
50c
76
“
56
44
100c
77
4 4
J. B. C.
1
58
Tuxpan
25c
76
4 4
59
Tula de T.
25c
77
4 4
J. B. C.
61
Cordova
5c
77
Laid (2)
J. B. C.
61
4 4
10c
77
Wove
None
61
44
10c
77
“
Note: To the above list of Messrs. Collin and Caiman I have added
sixteen.
34
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Stamps Watermarked La Croix Freres, 1877
No.
District
Value
Date
Paper
Surcharge
35
Queretaro
10c
77
Broad H. L.
None
J.
B. C.
14
Cuernavaca
25
77
“ (entire
sheet)
None
J.
B. C.
37
S. L. Potosi
10c
77
45 (2)
None
J.
B. C.
5 2
Guanajuato
25c
77
“ (3)
Name
J.
B. C.
5 3
Cocula
10c
77
“
66
J.
B. C.
26
Mazatlan
25c
77
<£ ’ (entire
an:
1 : :
sheet)
(5 S
J.
B. C.
Types of Known Surcharges
Copied from Collin and Caiman,
by permission of the Scott Stamp and
and 484.
3'
1 1X2 14
Iixift.
2 ACAPULCO. istfxiH-
ACUASCALIENTES 25x2)4.
AGUASCALIENTES 23)4x2*4.
AGUASC ALIentes 25x2)4-1)4.
APAM 9)4x2.
9)4x2 ; name in blue.
CAMPECHE X4KX3.
CAMPECHE 17X2.
h
between two periods.
6
CHALCO
iixi|4.
CHALCO
I2/XIJ4
17
CHALCO
13X2 %.
18
7
CHIAPAS
14x1 |4i name in blue.
19
8
CHIHUAHUA.
17)4x2)4 ; with
period.
CHIHUAHUA .
t9)4x3; with period.
20
CHIHUAHUA
i8Xx2K-3-
21
9
COLIMA
“
i3/4x2/; name in
22
blue.
23
COLIMA
I3xi)4.
24
10 CORDOVA 14x2.
13^x1^;
name in blue.
11 C. BRAVOS
12 C.VICTORIA
16x1
16x1 name in blue.
16x1*4.
i7«K*
17x1)4 ; name in
violet.
13 CUAUTITLAN i8tfxa.
Catalogue of the Stamps of Mexico,.
Coin Co., Ltd., New York, pages 48S
14 CUERNAVACA 18)4x134.
15 DURANGO, 18^x2; with period,
DURANGO 14x1^.
16 CMMlAJm 21X23/.
GUADALAJARA 2IX2y4~3*
GUADALAJARA 23x2^.
‘ ‘ 23x2)4 ; name in blue
GUADALAJARA iSfaift.
“ i8)4xi)6 ; name in
blue.
“ i8j4xi j4«
GUADALAJARA I7j4xi l/z ; name in
black.
“ name in
blue.
°UaymaS (?) l Never been found.
Guanajuato J
HUE JU TLA 16x1 <
16x1/ ; name in blue.
JALAPA 1 1x2. -
JALAPA uxitf.
Jilotepec (Caillebotte).
LAGOS 12X2 X*
LA PAZ u/x2.
MARAVAT10 17x2)4.
“ 1 7x2 >4; name in
green.
MARAVATIO i7}4xi}4-2.
marAVATIO i7*4xi)4-3-
MARAVATIO I7%xi3/.
25 MATAMOROS 22x3.
MATAMOROS i7)4xi)4*
“ I7l4xi^4; name in
blue.
mataMOROS i7)4XI34”2*
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO,
35
26
MAZATLAN
17x2.
MAZATLAN
27
MERIDA
13x3.
MERIDA
13x2.
4 4
13x1:^; name in
bluish black.
MERIda
I3x2>(-iK'
28
MONTEREY
18x2.
#MONTERREY.
, I9*4xij4 1 between
two periods, ver¬
milion surcharge.
MONTERE 1
19^x2.
MONTERREY
19x2.
29
MORELIA
14x2.
MORELIA
15x2.
MORELIA
16x2)4.
30
OAXACA.
16x2; with period.
lOAXACAl
n)4xi)4.
i «
ii)4xi)4; name in
blue.
lOAXACAl
11x2; name in blue.
II
11x2; name in black.
31
ORIZAVA
17x2)4 » name in
blue.
1 7x2)4 » name in
reddish violet.
miZAVA
13)4x2. )
“
> Really same.
13x2. J
ORIZAVA
14x1 54 ; name in black.
14X 1 34 ; name in pale
blue.
32
Otumba
(Caillebotte).
33
PACHUCA
X5XI34.
«4
I5xx)4 jname in blue.
34
PUEBLA
13x2.
t i
13x2; name in blue-
black
35
OmUETARO
14^x1 14-
36
SALTILLO
15x234. .
« S
15x234 ; name in blue.
SALTILLO
14x1^.
i <
141A^i%; name in
blue,
SALTILlo
!5X2>4“I>4.
•SALTILLO*
I7xr|4 i between two
periods.
37
S.LPOTOSI
i5xi^.
38
TABASCO
I4^xi|4.
39
tacubaya
ny^i-K*
14^x1^; name in
blue black,
TAM PICO
1414X13^.
15^4x134 ; between
two periods.
Tepeji
(?)
Tepic
(?)
Texcoco
(?)
Tixtla
(?)
TLAXCALA
I5XIJ4-
TO L UCA
12x2)4.
46
13x1^4.
TULA
8x134.
TULANCIIYGO
18x2.
“
18x2; name in blue.
LRES
7x2 y&.
URES
7x2.
“
7x2; name in blue.
VERACRUZ
18x134.
VERACRUZ
1 7*2/4.
VERACRUZ
i7)4xij4*
VERACRUZ
19x3-1^*
VERACRUZ
13x1^.
VERACRUZ
15x134*
ZACATECAS
16x1%.
“
16x1^ ; surcharged in
blue-black.
2ACATECAS
i634xi>4-234.
ZACATECAS
16x1 j4*
GUANAJUATO 2IX2.
fiUANAJUATO
22x2; with period.
GUANAJUATO
r8Kxi|4.
i 1
i8xX*
COCULA
12x234.
coCULA
10)4x1-2.
COCULA
io)4xi)4.
6 <
io)4xi yz ; surcharge in
blue.
C. GUZMAN
is^xiy.
TEPIC
8)4xi l/z
a
8)4xi)4 ; name in blue.
PARRAL
I2)4xi)4.
TEHUACAN
1 5)4x1^.
TUX PAN
IIXI#..
ii
nxi)4.
TUX PAN
iixi^4—2)4
tula de t
tsX*i|4*
1 1
14)4x1)4.
ZAMORA
12)4x1)4.
CORDOVA
i3)4xi)4.
40
41
42
43
44
45
, 46
47
48
49
50
5i
52
53
54
55
56
57
53
59
60
61
36
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Errors of Surcharge
Considering the number of years these stamps were current the num¬
ber of errors of surcharge is surprisingly small. Most of those catalogued
below are mentioned in the order given by Collin and Caiman. They in
turn credit a very large number to Heitman. Except a few double sur¬
charges, little can be added to this list, and in fact I possess only a few
denoted by the asterisk. Included for completeness with due credit to
authorities named they are as follows:
Habilatado
5c Thin crisp wove, Toluca (black) and Ixtlahuaca (blue) 46-74
Lawrence
Errors 1874-77
(A) Errors in Numbers)
Value
District
No. Date
Authority
25c
Maravatio
20 — ?
for
24 — ?
Cail.*
25c
Mazatlan
2 — 77
4 i
26 — 77
C. & C.
25c
Merida
5—76
4 4
27 — 76
C. & C.
25c
Morelia
25 — ?
4 4
29 — ?
Cail.
10c
Morelia
25 — 76
4 6
29 — 76
C. & C.
100c
Orizava
13 — ?
44
31— ?
Cail.
25c
Puebla
31 — 75
4 4
34 — 75
c. & c.
25c
Puebla
31 — 77
4 4
34 — 77
c. & c.
25c
Toluca
6 — 74
46—74
c. & c.
10c
Vera Cruz
5 9 — 75
44
50—75
J. B. C.
10c
Vera Cruz
90— ?
44
50— ?
Heitman
5c
Zacatecas
12 — 77
4 4
51 — 77
C. & C.
25c
Zacatecas
15— ?
4 4
51 — ?
Cail.
5c
Cordova
01 — ?
4 4
61 — ?
Heitman
(B) Errors in
Date
10c
Mexico
1 — 67
for
1 — 76
Cail.
25c
Mexico
1 — 67
“
1—76
C. & C.
(C) With Number Only
25c
Mazatlan
26 — None
25c
S. L. Potosi
37 — None
(D) With Date Only
5c
Oaxaca
None — 74
C. & C.
Lockyer
J. B. C.
(E) With Postal District Only
5c Mexico
25c Puebla
25c S. L. Potosi
(F) With Number and Date Inverted
25c Vera Cruz 5 — 76
J. B. C.
Cail.
Cail.
C. & a
*Cail. — Caillebotte. C. & C. — -Collin & Caiman.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO. 37
Errors 1874-77 (Continued)
(G) Number and Date Reversed
Value
District
No. Date
Auth ority
100c
Durango
77—15
for 15—77
C. & C.
and Wmk.
25c
Orizava
74 — 31
“ 31 — 74
c. & c.
10c
Puebla
77 — 34
“ 34 — 77
c. & c.
5c
Vera Cruz
77 — 50
“ 50 — 77
Heitman
100c
Guanajuato
77 — 52
“ 52—77
C. & C.
and Wmk.
50c
La Paz
4237
“ 23 — 74
c. & c.
5c
Vera Cruz
76 — 50
“ 50 — 76
J. B. C.
5c
<<
77 — 50
“ 50 — 77
c. & c.
(H) Pair, One With District, One Without
5c
Guadalajara
16 — 17
Med. v. 1. p.
c. & c.
5c
Cordova
61 — 77
Med. v. 1. p.
c. & c.
(I) Double Surcharge
50c
Vera Cruz
50 — 77
No. & date twice
J. B. C.
100c
Vera Cruz (No Wmk.) 50 — 77
Date twice
J. B. C.
50c
Cordova (No
Wmk.) 10 — 75
No. & date twice
J. B. C.
10c
S. L. Potosi
37 — 75
Name twice
J. B. C.
25c
S. L. Potosi
37—75
Name twice
J. B. C.
10c
Saltillo
3 6 — 75
Name twice
J. B. C.
10c
Monterey
28 — 77
Name twice
J. B. C.
5c
Mexico
1 —
Name twice
C. & C.
100c
Colina
9 —
Name twice
c. & c.
25c
C. Victoria
12 —
Name twice
c. & c.
5c
C. Victoria
12 —
Name twice
c. & c.
25c
Jalapa
20—
Name twice
c. & c.
50c
Morelia
29 —
Name twice
c. & c.
25c
Queretaro
35 —
Name twice
c. & c.
5c
Toluca
46 —
Name twice
c. & c.
100c
Ures
49 —
Name twice
c. & c.
100c
Vera Cruz
50 —
Name twice
c. & c.
50c
Zacatecas
51 —
Name twice
c. & c.
25c
Tuxpan
58 —
Name twice
c. & c.
25c
Cordova
61—
Name twice
c. & c.
(J) Pair, Imperf.
Between
5c
Mazatlan
26 — 76
v. 1. p.
J. B. C.
10c
Vera Cruz
50—77
Wove
J. B. C.
38
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
ISSUE B
Number and date close together. Change in District numbers. Transition
period to restriction to inland postage. End 1878 until March 1,
1879. Good for foreign postage.
During the last few months of 1878, the precise date is unknown, the
authorities decided on a new tariff for foreign postage and to issue a new
series for this purpose only, thereby restricting the current issue to inland
postage. To further indicate the change and impress the fact on the post¬
masters and the public the district numbers were changed by the simple
process of reversing the order alphabetically for the most part, except
Mexico, which instead of coming first would be the last. Further, the
new stamps thus restricted were indicated by surcharging the number and
date close together at the bottom of the stamp. Delays occurred in get¬
ting the foreign issue ready and stocks of the old stamps ran out, espec¬
ially in the densely populated districts, and some of the stamps with the
new surcharge had to be supplied as still good for foreign as well as in¬
land postage. At first it was hoped that the 10c black would alone have
to be supplied, and to avoid confusion the 10c mustard 1878 was prepared
for inland postage only. But all the values were eventually exhausted in
some districts and finally all of the new black 10c, and so it came to pass
that all the issue surcharged below 1878 were good for foreign postage
also. I am of the opinion that as this occurred, rather than use the new
10c mustard already restricted and designed for inland postage, an old
stock of the 5c on vertically laid paper was unearthed and supplied sur¬
charged below, and this becomes reasonably certain since I have discovered
several copies on Papel Sellado paper watermarked, and at least one copy
of the 25c was known to Collin and Caiman. The new stamps following
the lead of the 25c mustard were therefore surcharged directly in the
center at the top, or later at the upper right, and continued thus until the
system was abolished. But before the date March 1, 1879, when the de¬
cree finally became absolute, was reached, many of the stamps surcharged
above had to be used, including the sacred 10c mustard, and the change
in shade to orange red marks, in fact, its first absolute restriction to inland
postage. The occasional high values surcharged above 1878 are therefore
to be expected on the old papers, as remainders were utilized as occasion
demanded, and this is again demonstrated by the discovery of all of them
by the writer on Papel Sellado paper watermarked. They are naturally of
a high degree of rarity. I have one and one only, for example, of the 25c
on the La Croix Freres paper, and one only of the 5c with the watermark
X. Two copies of the 25c, one of the 5c, and one of the 5 0c on the wove
quadrille, and two on the medium laid, all watermarked Papel Sellado,
and with number and date above, 1878. On the other hand, the four copies
of the 5c, 1878 below, are the only ones I have seen with the surcharge
below showing how it was introduced and sacrificed to save the 10c mus¬
tard. It was unavailing, however, and when the mustard went the same
way its color was changed. I do not see why the 10c mustard should not
be found 1879, but have not seen it. The red orange occurs in late 1878
and early 1879 also, but was with exceptions largely restricted to the in¬
land mail. The following division (Class B) is restricted to a study of
these transition period stamps.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
39
The details and the numerous orders of the postal authorities concern¬
ing a radical change like the one now chronicled must have left some
traces in the archives in Mexico. It will be interesting to find, later, how
far I have been able to read their history correctly or otherwise, written,
it seems to me plausibly, if not conclusively, on the stamps themselves.
Table X
Rather thin crisp wove paper (Remainders A. I). Date below 1878. II.
39 10c gray black
40 25c blue
No. Date Only
Unused Used
— 1 25
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Remarks
2 00 75 1878-1879?
— — C.& C.
Table XI
Ordinary medium wove paper (Remainders A. III). Date 1878 Below.
No.
Date Only
No.
Date, Dist.
Unused Used
Unused Used
41
5c chestnut brown
?
?
?
?
42
10c dull black
—
10
00
3 00
43
25c dark blue
—
—
2
00
1 00
43a
light blue
—
— _
2
00
30
43b
deep blue
—
—
4
00
2 00
44
50c moss green
— .
2
00
1 00
45
100c bright carmine
—
—
— • .
2 00
* Probably does not exist.
Note: I have yet to find one of these stamps with number and date
only, which indicates that they were used in large centers only as required.
Table XII
Ordinary medium paper, vertically laid, narrow lines (Remainders A IX
watermarked in sheet). Date 1878 Below.
No. Date Only
Unused Used
4 6 5c chestnut brown — 20 00
47 Wmk. Pap el Sellado — —
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
— 5 00
— 25 00 *
^Discovered by J. B. C. 1917 (4 copies).
Note: See note, Table XI, and absence of 5c in that list. These stamps
are undoubtedly remainders on the good old paper and printed from the
new plate of 1877. The new 1878 stamps with date above show new and
uncertain workmanship and poorer paper. See next tables.
Table XIII
Medium to thick wove paper. Date 1878 above or upper right corner.
Still gocd for foreign postage.
48
5c chestnut brown
No. Date Only
Unused Used
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
1 00
49
10c mustard
—
5 00
2 00
50
49a
led orange
—
2 00
1 00
25
50
25c dark blue
1
00
—
30
15
50a
light blue
1
00
—
30
10
50b
greenish blue
. —
—
30
20
51
50c yellow green
2
00
—
1 00
30
52
100c bright carmine
—
■
2 00
30
52a
rose carmine
—
—
2 00
60
40
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Table XIV
Medium to thick paper vertically laid, narrow
lines.
Date
1878, upper
right corner. Still good for foreign postage.
No. Date Only
No.
Date, Dist.
Unused Used
Unused Used
53
5c chestnut brown — —
2
00
1 00
54
10c red orange — —
2
00
1 00
55
25c blue — - —
2
00
75
55a
greenish blue — —
3
00
1 00
55b
bright blue — —
1
00
50
56
50c yellow green — —
5
00
2 00
57
100c carmine — - —
—
_ ?
58
10c red orange — —
—
_ *
*La:'d horizontally in narrow lines?
Note: These may exist with number and date only, but are certainly
very scarce for the reason given above. The 100c probably does not exist
with date 1878 on laid paper. The prices are mere indications of com¬
parative scarcity. The 10c exists with a very interesting large eagle can¬
cellation, the eagle holding a staff with flag and a streamer with the motto
“de la V. de”, evidently in commemoration of some discovery or event. I
have seen two, both priced high, and have both. (1778. S. L. Potosi).
Table XV
Rather thin paper, horizontally laid, broad lines (La Croix Freres pa¬
per). With date 1878 below or upper right corner. (Remainder A. VII.)
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used
— — — 25 00 *
* *
*1 have one (278).
* * May exist.
59 5c chestnut brown
59a Wmk. La C. Freres
60 10c black
60a Wmk. La C. Freres
t Lawrence had one only (2478) Morelia. Dr. Morgenthau saw an¬
other. No stamp is scarcer in Mexico.
Table XVI
Rather thin crisp wove paper. Date 1878 Above.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used Remarks
61
10c black —
- r
. —
10
00
(2278)
62
10c mustard — -
10 00
—
5
00
(3478) (1778)
(1978) (3778)
63
25c milky blue —
—
—
10
oo
Sm. figs. (3478)
Table XVII
Medium to thick wove paper. Quadrille appearance. Watermarked Pa-
pel Sellado. Date 1878 Above (Re. 1877).
No. Date Only No. Date, D'st.
Unused Used Unused Used
64 5c chestnut brown — — — 20 00 (4978) Colima
65 25c light blue — — 25 00 10 00 (1078) Tehuacan
66 50c moss green — — — 3000(3778) Guadalajara
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
41
Note: These are new discoveries except 25c, Collin & Caiman 1893,
J. B. C. 1917. There is no reason to suppose the 10c and 100c to exist.
The stock of the 100c lasted until 1886.
Table XVIII
Rather thick paper, vertically laid, narrow lines. Watermarked Papel
Sellado. Date 1878 Above.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used Remarks
67 5c chestnut brown — - — — 2000(2778) Matamores
(3878) Durango
black
Note: Collin and Caiman knew only of the 25c, Table VII, and the
100c of 1880-81 on the series with number and date close together.
Table XIX
Rather thin paper, horizontally laid, broad lines (Remainder A., La
Croix Freres paper). Date 1879.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used Remarks
68 5c light brown — 4 00 10 00 3 00
68a (a) Wink. La Croix
Freres — — — 2500*
*Jalapa. Wmk. X. — J. B. C. 1917.
Note: This is the same paper as the 10c, Table VII, but dated 1879
and is to be included in Division B, certainly until March 1. The 5c was
not printed in series A on this paper. The shades in the new series 1880
and 1881 are quite different. The discovery of the La Croix Freres water¬
mark on the 5c above is unique. There is just a possibility only that the
10c black exists. After this of course it disappears entirely, giving way to
the orange red.
42
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
ISSUE C
Number and date close together, usually, except Mexico, at or near
the upper right corner. Restricted to inland postage from March 1, 1879
until October 1, 1883.
This long postponed event was probably determined by the arrival of
a new plate from the American Bank Note Company for the 25c. A new
one was on the way for the new 4c value of 1880 and I have no doubt a
new one was made for the 10c orange, and I should not be surprised if it
were found that the 5c and the 50c also received attention. It is certain,
on the other hand, that the 100c was not re-engraved at this date since the
1880-81 stamps are on the old Papel Sellado paper, and are, in short, the
remainders. I think, however, it will be found to have been re-engraved
late in 1881. Mr. E. W. Wetherell in a note on the 25c (1874-83) discov¬
ered the plates of the 25c (Phil. J. of India, 1909. Gibbons St. W. 10.7.09)
distinguished as follows:
Plates of the 25c
Plate 1. 1874-77, that is, all in Class A.
Plate 2. 1878-1881 in conjunction with Plate 1. There exists on each
stamp a half-moon-like arc under the 2 in the upper left cor¬
ner in a white frame.
Plate 3. 1882-83 in conjunction with 1 and 2, only to be recognized by
particular lines in the head and left side of the stamp that
cut each other near upper corner.
A study of the stamps in the sheet makes it difficult to endorse these
secret marks. I have no doubt they are there, however, but am urged to
this conclusion personally by the general appearance of the stamps, which
indicate either a changed plate or a new one.
Table XX
Ordinary medium to thick wove paper 1879-1882 (Inland postage
only) .
No. Date
Only
No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
69
4c pale orange
60
35
30
30
70
5c brown
50
25
30
25
71
10c red orange
25
10
25
05
72
25c deep blue
25
10
25
05
73
50c dark green
75
20
75
12
73a
bluish green
74
100c rose carmine
1 50
60
1 50
25
74a deep carmine
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
43
Table XXI
Medium to thick close vertically laid paper 1879-82. Inland postage
only.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
75
4c pale orange
25
15
25
15
76
5c bright brown
35
15
35
10
77
10c red orange
20
10
20
05
78
25c blue (shades)
30
15
25
02
79
50c dark green
1 00
15
1 00
15
80
10 0c bright carmine
1 25
25
1 25
20
Table XXII
Rather thick wove paper,
quadrille appearance
Remainder 33
Table
VIII) 1880-1881.
No. Date Only
No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
81
100c rose carmine
—
—
5 00 2
00
81a
Wmk. Papel Sellado
1 ■
—
15 00 12
00
Note: Heitman records the existence of this stamp which he calls
crosswise laid paper, but not the following on laid paper. He must have
noted it as very scarce even without the watermark which he failed to
discover, as he values it with District Name at 6 0 marks and 50 marks,
and without price without the name. I have only seen it without the name
cancelled in lines as a remainder. Watermarked it is certainly worth what
he asked for it without. It is recorded as watermarked and the only one
in the series, number and date close together, in our advanced catalogue
by Collin and Caiman, both on the wove and laid paper. It is as much
scarcer than the 100c on the first series as that is with respect to the 100c
lilac in 1872.
Table XXIII
Rather thick vertically laid paper, watermarked Papel Sellado in the
Sheet. (Remainder Table IX). 1880.
No. Date Only
Unused Used
82 1 00c pale rose 10 00 10 00
82a Wmk. P. S. 25 00 25 00
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
5 00 2 00
20 00 15 00
Note: Recorded as watermarked Papel Sellado first by Collin and Cai¬
man so far as I know. It has an unmistakable shade and is scarce.
Table XXIV
Rather thick paper, horizontally laid, narrow lines.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used
83 10c Pale red orange — — — 6 0
Note: I find this a rather hard stamp to locate, and it was certainly
used for only a short time. I have yet to obtain it without District Name.
Scott says 25c used or unused, but first find it.
44
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Table XXV
Rather thin wove paper. 1881-82.
No. Date
Unused
Only
Used
No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used
84
5c pale brown
1 00
75
1 00
75
85
10c pale red orange
1 00
75
1 00
75
86
25c pale blue
85
85
85
65
87
4c dull brownish red
—
—
1 00 :
* Scott’s price.
Note: Scott, it seems to me, has combined or confused these stamps
and the rather thin laid of the next issue with those with the large figures
of 1883, for he charges these high prices for those stamps which last are
not at all scarce, while these and the next series are comparatively so.
They are to be distinguished by having the surcharge in small figures
and also by noting as follows: The lower horizontal line of 2 is straight;
the upper horizontal lines in 5 and 7 are straight. The other figures show
also slight variations from the 1883 issue but all are small in comparison.
The 4c dull brownish red is a scarce stamp and I have not seen it as
yet without the district.
Collin and Caiman also catalogue a 5 0c green and a 100c carmine on
this paper with a question mark. In all probability they do not exist.
Table XXVI
Rather thin paper, vertically laid, narrow lines. 1882, Small Figures.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
88
4c dull brownish red
1 25
—
—
_ ❖
89
5c pale brown
1 25 1
00
75
65
90
10c pale orange red
75
65
75
65
91
25c blue
50
35
50
35
92
50c green
1 , 00
75
1 00
75
93
100c bright carmine
75
75
75
75
*A scarce stamp.
Note: The 100c was a scarce stamp to Heitman
as he leaves
it un¬
priced, but it is not especially so today, though
very
much harder
to find
than
. the red carmine with
the large letters.
Table XXVII
Very thin wove paper.
1882-1885 Small Figures.
No. Date
Only
No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
94
4c dull brownish red
65
45
40
25
95
5c pale brown
50
30
25
10
96
10c pale red orange
25
10
25
10
97
50c pale green
75
15
1 15
40
98
100c bright carmine
1 25
20
2 00
45
Note: These prices are too low to indicate properly comparative rarity,
and here is where Heitman went astray, failing to distinguish between
these (small figures) and the very thin of 1883. Scott’s price, 2 00, for
the 50c green would be nearer the mark on this paper (small figures) but
is ridiculously high for the very common 50c large figures. I have not
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
45
secured either of the unused 50c green nor the 100c unused with district.
Again the 10c unused is hard to find.
The 5c pale brown exists with a double impression, 54-83 Mexico, and
on the back without any surcharge.
Table XXVIII
Very thin vertically laid paper. 1883 Large Figures. Last issues re¬
stricted to inland postage.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused Used Unused Used
9 9 10c pale orange red 100 100 — - —
Note: I need this stamp with district name. Note also that the figures
2, 7, 5 have curved horizontal lines. (Compare XXV, XXVI, XXVII). The
price noted is Scott’s.
Table XXIX
Very thin wove paper. 1883 Large Figures.
No. Date Only No. Date, Dist.
Unused
Used
Unused
Used
100
4c orange red
1 00
50
1 00
50 *
101
5c pale brown
1 00
25
1 00
25
102
10c orange red
50
05
50
05
103
25c blue
25
15
25
15
104
50c green
2 00
25
2 00
25
105
100c bright carmine
75
75
75
75
*A11 Scott's prices are too high (See XXVII).
Note: These stamps catalogued in Scott without the surcharge are
these without price. This is unwarranted, as they constitute a new series
again good for foreign postage, marking the end of the long continued
control system of the old Mexican stamps. They are by no means partic¬
ularly scarce except the 10 0c used, which I believe is yet to be discovered.
It ought to be worth something when it is found on the original cover.
The 10c and 25c undoubtedly exist imperforate.
All the stamps of the 1874-83 issue were designed to be perforated,
but by the time the very thin paper of 1883 appeared and even before, the
machines in use showed many signs of being worn out. The first issues
were perforated very clean and also on the outer borders, but the latter,
and especially the last thin paper, is perforated so very irregularly as in
many cases to show no indication of the number at all and never on the
borders. Adjoining stamps are found imperforate between and the corner
stamp in particular, by judicious use of the shears, can be reduced to a
fine specimens unperforated. Unperforated specimens are therefore worth¬
less except in blocks and pairs.
The issues with the large figures mark the end of the historic and
peculiar control system of Mexico, and a new issue was designed without
surcharge, good again for both foreign and domestic postage. This change
was also accompanied with a new schedule for inland postage to bring it in
harmony with the foreign rates and render all values equally serviceable.
Before these were ready the decree went into effect and the remainders and
some new sheets of the 1874 stamps were sold without- a surcharge. All
of these were distributed without number and date, but a few postmasters
for th’eir own protection or by mere force of . habit continued to surcharge
the name of their district. Such stamps are quite scarce and correspond¬
ingly valuable.
46
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
ISSUE D
Stamps without any surcharge or with District Name only. Good
for both foreign and inland postage, Oct. 1, 1883.
Table XXX
Without Any Surcharge (188 3-4)
Paper
Unused
Used
Remarks
106
4c brownish red
Thick laid
—
—
See Gibbons
107
4c brownish red
Thin laid
—
—
108
4c brownish red
Thick wove
—
—
109
4c brownish red
Very thin wove
1 25
60
Gibbons 1916
110
5c brown
Very thin wove
1 00
40
111
10c pale orange
Thick laid
■ — ■
■ —
112
10c orange
Very thin wove
65
06
113
25c blue
Very thin wove
25
10
114
25c blue
Thin V. L.
—
—
115
50c bluish green
Thin V. L.
75
50
116
100c carmine
Thin V. L.
75
—
117
100c crimson
Thin V. L.
1 25
Hfl
Note: These are the
stamps listed in
Scott (117-122)
without the sur-
charge, unpriced. The 100c was probably not used.
Table XXXI
Surcharged with name only on very thin wove paper with exceptions,
the 4c and 10c and 25c on the laid paper of Table XXX. The following
districts were known to Collin and Caiman, Lawrence or Heitman. The
prices quoted are from Heitman 189 3 and are a slight indication of their
rarity.
118
District
4c Mexico
Surcharge
black
Paper
Thick vert, laid
Unused
Used
119
4c
Chiapas
“
4 (
—
—
120
4c
Maravatio
“
Very thin wove
—
1 25
121
5c
Jalapa
**
4 i
—
65
*
122
10c
Apam
(6
_ *
—
123
10c
Colima
4 4
it
—
—
124
10c
Aguascalientes
4 4
4 4
—
—
*■
125
10c
Guadalajara
pale blue
4 4
—
—
126
10c
Jalapa
black
4 4
—
65
*
127
10c
Maravatio
violet
4 4
—
—
128
10c
“
black
—
—
129
10c
Monterey
violet
4 4
— .
—
130
10c
Pachuca
black
44
—
- —
131
10c
Tlaxcala
blue
4 4
_
, —
132
10c
Zacatecas
carmine
4 4
- —
—
133
25c
Chiapas
blue
4 4
—
—
134
25c
C. Guzman
black
4 4
—
—
135
25c
Mazatlan
4 4
4 4
—
—
136
25c
Mexico
i €
4 4
—
1 75
137
25c
44
Thin soft v. 1.
—
—
138
25c
Queretaro
4 4
Ord. vert, laid
—
- —
139
25c
S. L. Potosi
4 4
Thin soft v. 1.
—
—
140
25c
Vera Cruz
4 4
Ord. wove
- —
—
141
25c
6 4
Thin wove
—
—
142
50c
Chiapas
6 4
“ •
—
—
143
50c
Merida
4 6
“
—
—
144
50c
S. L. Potosi
6 4
“
. —
—
*
145
50c
Mexico
4 4
■ — -
—
*
*J. B. C.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
47
Note: — No reason appears why all stamps in all varieties of paper
should not exist without any surcharge. Not having seen them, they have
not been noted as existing in this condition. Except in the first papers and
the last ' thin issue without surcharge, this seems to have been carefully
avoided.
Table of District Names (1878-83)
Values from various sources. * means absent from author’s collection
at date. With numbers only the value is much less.
No.
District
4c
5c Or.
10c
25c
50c
100c
t
1
Zamara
*
—
60
20
18
50
—
3
or 4
2
Zacatecas
40
12
08
06
60
7 5
7
3
Vera Cruz
25
12
06
06
25
35
6
4
Ures
*
—
*
_ *
60 *
60
H5
*
—
1
4
Hermcsillo (79-83)
30
25
15
12
25
1
30
3
5
Tulancingo
*5
00
*2
00
1
25
80
*2
00
*
— -
2
6
Tula de T.
HI
60
50
50
1
50
2
00
2
7
Tula
*
80
50
50
*
PpBjB
—
3
8
Tuxpan (Tuspan)
1
"I'
30
40
25
80
1
00
8
9
Toluca
*
—
50
30
15
*
—
*
—
7
10
Tehuacan
*
—
30
20
25
—
*
—
5
11
Texcoco
4
50
*4
00
3
50 1
25
*
—
5
00
2
12
Tepic
80
25
20
12
50
60
3
13
Tlaxcala
❖
—
75
75 ■
20
*
1
25
2
14
Tampico
2
00
35
18
10
25
40
6
15
Tacubaya
—
2
00 *
_ *
—
*
—
5
00
1
16
Tabasco
❖
' —
75
35
25
60
1
40
1
17
S. L. Potosi
60
12
08
06
20
40
2
18
Saltillo
1
25
15
12
12
75
1
50
2
19
Queretaro
25
15
12
06
16
25
6
20
Puebla
40
10
06
06
25
30
5
21
Pachuca
*
—
25
12
08
30
1
00
4
22
Orizava
25
08
10
08
25
30
5
23
Oaxaca
25
12
12
06
25
25
7
24
Morelia
25
10
08
08
20
25
6
25
Monterey
25
12
08
08
20
25
5
26
Merida
75
30
12
18
60
75
O
o
27
Mazatlan
25
10
08
06
20
25
o
o
28
Matamores
*
— -
15
10
08
60
70
6
29
Moravatio
*
75
30
20
25
40
1
25
4
30
La Paz
*1
00
55
60 *
75
2
60
*
. — .
3
31
Lagos
i
50
25
30
15
50
1
00
3
32
Jilotepec or
Soyaniquilpam
*
—
2
50
2
50 *
—
*
- —
*
—
1
33
Jalapa
50
08
12
06
20
25
3
34
Parral
70
35
30
25
1
00
75
1
35
Huejutla
gBBj
—
80 1
25
—
*
■- —
2
36
Guanajuato
40
12
08
06
20
25
9
37
Guadalajara
40
12
08
06
20
25
5
38
Durango
60
40
16
25
40
1
75
2
39
Chihuahua
50
20
16
08
50
60
7
40
Chiapas
60
55
25
20
1
00
1
50
1
41
Chacco
*
—
55
20
25
70
*1
50
3
42
Cordova
*
—
25
08
25-
60
2
00
3
43
C. Guzman
75
25
10
18
60
1
50
2
44
Cocula, or Moscotta
75
25
18
20
50
1
00
4
•{•Varieties of surcharge.
48
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Table of District Names, 1878-83 (Continued)
No.
District
4c
5c Or.
10c
25c
50c
100c
f
45
Curnavaca
*
—
50
25
30
70
1
50
3
46
Cuautitlan
—
* _
2 75
1 50
*2
50
2
50
1
47
C. Victoria
1
00
75
30
40
*
—
1
50
2
48
C. Bravos
1
00
25
15
25
60
1
50
2
49
Colima
1
00
50
40
45
1
00
1
30
3
50
Campeche
75
30
25
28
50
90
6
51
Apam
*
- — -
80
55
70
*
- —
*
—
2
52
Aguascalientes
75
50
12
20
75
1
00
5
53
Acapulco
1
00
55
25
50
*
eS9
2
25
2
54
Mexico
20
08
02
04
18
25
3
55
Colima
* 4
00
1 50
75
1 75
2
00
2
50
1
or 2
fVarietles of surcharge.
Note 1: In addition to the foregoing, interesting collections can be made
illustrating the different known varieties of surcharge and the different
colored inks used. These will be found illustrated in the following pages,
for which we are indebted to Collin, Caiman and Lawrence by special per¬
mission of the Scott Stamp and Coin Company, Ltd.
Note 2: The prices in the foregoing table are based on quotations re¬
ceived at a recent date. Compared with those stated in the corresponding
table (District Numbers 1874-77) they cause the former to be ridiculously
low, as on the average, these in the first table should be much higher than
those in this table. In either case they are intended to indicate compara¬
tive scarcity only.
Types of Names of Postal Districts (1878-1883)
All the numbers can be found surcharged
with number and date only, except perhaps
Mexico.
1878 1 ZAMORA 13x1)4; blue
1879 “ 13x1)4; bluish violet
1879-81 “ 13x1)4; dark violet
1881- 83 “ 13x1^; black
1878-81 2 ZACATECAS 16^*2; black
1878- 81 “ i6xij4 ; black
1879- 81 “ 16x1^5 ; blue
1882 “ i6)4x2; vermilion
1882- 83 “ 16)4x2; carmine
1882-83 “ 16x1^ ; carmine
1882-83 “ i6)4x2; violet
1878 3 VERACRUZ I7^x3)4;black
1878-79 VERAcruz 18x3-1^; black
1878-81 VERACRUZ 13x2; black
1878-83 VERACRUZ 1 7)4xi 24; black
1880- 81 YERACHUZ 15x1^; black
1883 VERACRUZ I7KX2)4: black
1878-79 4 URES 7x2: black
1880
HERM0S1LL0 20x3; violet
1879-83
“ 20x3; black
1879-83
HERM0SILL0 20x3; black
1878-82
5 TULANCINGO 18x2; black
1878-82
“ 18x2; blue
1880
TULANCINGO 18x2-3; black
1882-83
TU LANCING0 23x3; black
1878-83
6 TULADE T. isXxi^, with
period; black
1878-83
7 TULA 8x1 24; black
1880-81
“ 8xi|4;blue
1881-82
“ 8x1 carmine
1878-82
8 TUXPAN I ixi)4; black
1881-82
“ nxif4; blue
1882-83
“ iixi^4; carmine
1882
“ iixi)4; brown
1883
“ nxi^4; violet
1881-82
TUSPAN iix2)4; black
1881-82
“ iix2)4; blue
1882
“ iix2)4 ; carmine
1&78 9 TOLUCA I3xi U', blue
THE 1874=1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
49
1879- 80 TOLUCA. !3%x2»4, witn
period; blue
1880- 82 TOLUCA 14^x3; blue
1882 “ 1434x3; violet
1882-83 TOLUCA. 15x2^, with period;
violet
1878 10 TEHUACAN 15^x1^ ;black
1878-80 “ 15^x1^; blue
1880-83 “ ^ bright
rose
1883 “ i5>^xi^ ; carmine
1883 TEHUACAN lskx3-*k'> car¬
mine
1878-83 11 TEXCOCO 13x1^; black
? “ ? blue,
1878-83 12 TEPIC
1880
1882 “
1883 TEPIC
1883
1883
(Caillebbtte)
9x1 y2 ; black
9x134; blue
9x134 ; reddish violet
7x2; black
7x2; blue
7x2; reddish violet
? IB TLAXCALA *5x134; black
1878 TLAXCALA I4l4xij4; black
1879- 83 “ I4l4xi|4’; blue
1 878-79 14 * TAMPICO® 1634x2, between
periods; black
1634x2, between
periods; blue
TAMPICO I5Kx2; black
1 5)^x2; blue
15^x2; vermilion
1514x2; violet
TAMPICO 14x1 violet
14x134; black
TAMPICO 18x3; violet
18x3; blue
18x3; black
1878-83 15 TACUBAVA 14^x1 K; blue
1878-83 16 .TABASCO 14^x1^; black
1880 fABASCO 14^x2^— 13^;
black
? TABASCO 13x134 ; black
1878-80 17 SJL.P0T05I 15x134; black
1880- 83 SLPQTOSI 15^x2^; black
? 18 SALTILLO. 1614x214, with
period; black
? OhLIiLlO 15x4-2; black
1878-83 SALTILLO 15X214; black
1879 ?
1878-80
1880- 81
1881
1881
1881- 82
1882- 83
1882
?
1882-83
1878-83 19 ©UEREJARO
I4l4xij4;black
1883
“
1414x1^; blue
1883
“
I4l4xi^; violet
blue
?
queRETARO
i4l^xii4-2 Y&;
black
i
QUEretaro
I4l4x2-i; black
1883
OUERE1AR0
20x3-2; black
1878
SO PUEBLA.
14x1^4, with
period ; black
1878-83
PUEBLA
13x2; black
1882-83
“
13x2; reddish
violet
1882
“
13x2; blue
1878
PUEBLA.
13x234; black
?
21 PACHUCA.
16x2*4,
period; black
?
€ 4
16x2 *4r with
period ; blue
7
PACHUCA
14x2; black i
1878-83
PACHUCA
15X134; black
1878 !
22 ORIZAVA*
17x234, with
period; violet
1878
< <
17x234, with
period; carmine
1 8 78-80
17x234, with
period; blue
?
4
17x134; with
period ; black
1878
ORIZAVA.
1714x234, with
period; blue
1878
ORIZAVA
13x134*, violet
?
“
13x134; blue
1879-82
ORIZAVA
14x2; blue
1882-83
0 R 1 Z A B A 20X314 ; blue
1878
oa (OAXACAl
name 11x2;
frame 1214x4-3;
all in blue
1879
(OAXACAl
name 11x2;
frame I2l4x3l4;
all in blue
1879-81
OAXACA
16x2, with
period ; blue
1880
« i
16x2, with
period ; green
1880-83
0 AX A C A 20X314 ; black
1882-83
“
20x314.; carmine
1879-82 24 MORELIA
15x2; black
1879-82
MORELIA
15x134-214;
black
1882
MORELIA
14x214 ; violet
CO
00
M
MORELIA
14x234; black
50 THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
1882-83 MUrffcLfA 17x3#; black
1882-83 morELIA
I7X3#-4#I
black
1879-81 25 MONTERREY 19x2; black
? MONTERREY ig#x2; black
1881- 82 MONTEREY 23x3 # J black
1882- 83 “ 23x3# ; car¬
mine
23x3 #; violet
13x2; black
13x2; violet
13x2; carmine
1878- 83 SACOS
? LAGOS
1878 82 JILOTEPEG
1879- 83 ?
1879-83 ?
1883
12x2# ; black
Ii#x2; black
I5#xi# » Wack
44 15 #xi#; black¬
ish blue
“ I5#xi#; blue
SOYANIQUILPAM 2lxl # ; black
1883
1879- 83 26 MERIDA
1880- 83
1882
MERIda
MERIDA
I2#x2#-i#;
black
I2#x2#-i#;
violet
1882 IVI L'm L/AA 16x3#; carmine
1882 “ 16x3#; violet
1882-83 “ 16x3#; black
? 27 MAZATLAN I7xi#; black
1878-82 MAZATLAN i7#x2; black
? “ I7#x2; violet
1882-83 MAZATLAN. 17^x2#, with
period; pale blue
1880-83 28 MATAM0R0S 22^x3; black
? 22^x3: blue
1878-83 “ 22^x3; black
? MATAMOROS^K*^-*
black
? matAMOROS
black
1879 88 JALAPA
1879-83 JALAPA
1879-83 JALAPAl
1878-83 84 PARR At
1878-83 85 HUE JO TLA
1878-83
1879 HUEJUTLA
1879
iixi#; black
15x3; black,
16x3; the I
comes from the
border of the
chase
I2#xi#; black
16x1#; black
16x1#; blue
I4#x2#; blue
1881-82
1879-83
?
?
1878- 79
1879
1881-82
1879- 83
1878-79
1879
GUANAJUATO
1878 ? MATAMOROS
i8#x2;blue
1879-83
1878-83 29 MARAVATie
17x2#; black (
?
17x2#; blue
1881-82
« <
? MARAvatio
17x2-1#; black
1882-83
1880 MARAVATIO
18x2; blue
1880-83 MIRAVATIO
1882-83
i6#x2; black
i6#x2; green
?
GUANAJUATO
1882-83 “
i6#xs; violet
i
u
1883
i6#x2; carmine
1878-79 30 LA PA1
n#x2; violet
7
GUANAJUATO
1878-79
n#x2; black
1879 LAPAZ
Il#x2# ; black
1882-83
GUANAJUATO.
1880
n#x2#; blue
1879-82 “
n#x2#; violet
1882-83
1882-83 LA PAZ.
16x3# ; crimson
1882-83
16x3# ; blue
?
«.
? Si GO Si
Ii#x2#; black
86 GUANAJUATO. 2i#x2, with
period; black
“ 2i#x2, with
period; violet
51 2i#x2, with
period; blue
GUAN ajuaTO. 2ixi^-3.
with period;
blue
GUANAJUATO 21X2)4-1%,
GUANAJUATO 20*4*2; black
■ “ 20# x2; ver¬
milion’
“ 2o#x2; violet
“ 20#x2; blue
iB#xi#;
black
i8#xx#;
vermilion
i8#xi#;
blue
i8#xi#;
violet
i8#xi#;
mauve
carmine violet
17^x1#;
blue
16x2; red
i8xi#» with
period ; car¬
mine
i8xt#» with
period; violet
18x1% with
period; blue ?
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
51
?
GUANAJuato. 18x2^-134:,
with period;
violet
1878-79 37
GUADALAJARA 23 *4x3; black
1880
GUADALAJARA 20x2; black
1882
GUADALAJARA 1 8 '/2 xl *4 ;
black
1880-83
GUADALAJARA 21^x3; black
1883
“ 2134x3; blue
1883
GUADALAJARA 19^x3; rose
lilac
1883
“ 19^x3; black
1883
“ 19^x3; pale
blue
1883
“ 19^x3 ;bright
ultramarine
1879-80 38 DURANGO. 18x2#, with
period; black
1879-83
“ 18x2*4:, with
period; vermilion
“ 18x2*4:, with
1879-83
period; blue
?
DURANGO 17/2x2-3; black
1878
CHIHUAHUA 18x2; black
1878
CHIHUAHUA. 16x2; black
?
CHIHUAHUA 12x2; blaqk
(Caillebotte) ?
1878
CHIHUAHUA 15x3; black
1878
CHIHUAHUA 15X3 X-2! black
VI 879-82 39 CHIHUAHUA 18x3; black
1882
“ 18x3; blue
1882-83
“ 18x3; carmine
1882-83
“ 18x3; violet
1879-82
CHIHUAHUA 18x2 yz \ black
1882
“ 18x2^; blue
1882-83
“ 18x2 x/2 ; carmine
1878-83 40 CHIAPAS 14x1^; blue
1882-83
“ 14x1^; black
1878-83 41 CHACCO nxi^; black
1879-83
“ 11x134; blue
1879-83
CHALCO 13x1^; black
1879-83
“ 13x1344 blue
?
chaLCO 1234x134-2*4:;
bluish black
1879-83 42 CORDOVA 14x13/; black
?
“ 14x1^; blue
?
CORDOVA 14x1 y,-21/ ; black
1882
CORDOVA 14x234 ; black
1879-81 43 C. GUZMAN 15x1^; black
1881-83
C GUZMAN17X3K; black
1878 44
COCULA. 1234x2, with
period; black
1878-81
COCULA io*4xi y2 ; black
1878
“* 1034x134; blue
1882
“ 1034x134; violet
?
coCULA 1034x1-2; black
1882
MASCOTA
20x3%; car¬
mine
1882-83
1 i
20x334 ; blue ,
1882-83
20x314; black
1879-83 45 CUERNAVACA
19x2; black
?
i i
19x2; blue
?
CUERNAvaca
18 yx2y~iy\
black
?
cuernAVACA
18x1^4-2*4:;
black
1879-83 46 CUAUTITLAN.
19x2, with
period ; black
1879-83 47 C.VICTORIA
17x1^; violet
1878-89
i i
17x1^; black
1880-81
“
I7xi|4;bluish
black
1882-83
C.VICTORIA
16x234 ; black
?
48 C.BRAVOS
16x3; black
1879-83
C. BRAVOS
1634x134;
black
1879-81 49 COUHA
13x2; black
1879-81
* <
13x2; blue
I879-81
COLIMA
13x234; black
I879-8I
( f
13x234:; blue
1882
COLIMA
18x234^; black
?
50 CAMPECHE
r4Kx3; black
?
CAMPECHE
[fAxi'A-i'A-,
black
I879-83
CAMPECHE
17x2; black
?
CAMpeche
17x2
black
1883
CAMPECHE
17x2; blue
?
CAMpeche
17x2-13/;
black
1879-83 51 APAM
9x2; black
1879-83
< i
9x2; blue
1882
APAM
13x3; blue
1882-83
“
13x2; black
1878-79 52 AGUASCALIENTES 26x234;
black
1878
AGUASCALIENTES ***;
black
1879-83
AGUASCALIENTES 28x2^;
black
? AGUASCALIentes 28x234-
I M tblack
52
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
1881-83 AGUASCALIENTES 28x2;
black
1879-83 53 ACAPULCO I5KX^; black
1883
“
15%xi%; carmine
1883
ACAPbUCO
i5Kxi%-5; black
1883
<<
i5j£xi%-5; blue
Stamps of 1878-1883 Found
1887 54 1 1x2, black
1879-83 11x1% ; black
1883 0 11x2%; black
1882-83 55 COLIMA 18x2%; black
1883 “ 18x2%; carmine
? COLIMA I2%xi%; car¬
mine
ith Papel Sellado Watermark
Value
District
No.
Date
Surcharge
Paper
5c
Jalapa
3378
Below (2)
Name
V. Laid New
j. b. a
5c
Queretaro
1978
“
“
6 6 a
J. B. C.
5c
Monterey
2578
“
a (6
J. B. C.
5c
Colima
4978
Above
Wove
J. B. C.
5c
Matamores
2878
(blue)
V. Laid
J. B. C-
5c
Durango
3878
“
6 6
6( a
J. B. C.
25c
Zacatecas
278
“
6 6
Wove “
J. B. C.
25c
Tehuacan
1078
“
“
6 6 6 6
J. B. C-
50c
Guadalajara
3778
“
“
6 6 6 6
J. B. C.
100c
Vera Cruz
380
“
No. name
V.L.Quad.
J. B. C.
100c
Vera Cruz
380
“
“
Wove
c. & c.
100c
Vera Cruz
380
“ (2)
Name
< <
J. B. C.
100c
Tepic
1280
“
None
c. & c.
100c
Tacuhuya
1580
“
i t
“
c. & c.
100c
Puebla
2080
“ (5)
“
“
j. b. a
100c
Pachuca
2180
“
< t
c. & c.
100c
Orizava
2281
“
“
1 1
c. & c.
100c
Oaxaca
2380
“
Name
a
c. & c.
100c
Oaxaca
2380
“
No. name
V. Laid
c. & c.
100c
Morelia
2480
“
“
6 6
J. B. C.
100c
Morelia
2480
“ (2)
Name
66
J. B. C.
100c
Morelia
2480
“
No. name
Wove
c. & c.
100c
Merida
2680
“
11
“
J. B. C.
100c
Matamores
2880
“ (2)
Name
J. B. C.
100c
Maravat’o
2980
. “
No. name
c. & c.
100c
Jalapa
3380
Name
a
c. & a
100c
Huyutla
3580
“
“
6 6
c. & c.
100c
Chihuahua
3980
“
“
6 6
J. B. C.
100c
Chacco
4180
“
“
V. Laid
J. B. c..
100c
Mexico
5480
“
6 i
J. B. C.
Stamps Watermarked La Croix Freres (New)
5c Jalapa 3379 Above Name Broad hor. Laid New J. B. C.
Note: A 25c (1878) on wove and watermarked Papel Sellado is indi¬
cated as known to Lawrence (no number given) otherwise the 100c was'
the only stamp supposed to be thus watermarked in series B or C. The La
Croix Freres stamp 5c is worth 2.50 unwatermarked, and watermarked is
of course a discovery claimed by the writer. I would not venture to put
a value on any of the above, for they are very scarce, especially the 5c,
25c and 50c. It looks as if I had the one known copy of the 50c and the¬
se La Croix.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
53
ERRORS
List of Known Double Surcharges of District Name, 1874-83
No.
District
Value
Paper
Surcharge
Authority
2
Zacatecas
4c
V. laid
Name carmine
C. & C.
2
Zacatecas
25c
Wove
“ blue
C. & C.
3
Vera Cruz
10c or.
“
< <
C. & C.
3
Vera Cruz
25c
u
< (
J. B. C.
5
Tulancingo
25c
Thin wove
“
C. & C.
7
Tula
1 0c or.
Ord. wove
C. & C.
8
Tuxpan
10c "
(, i
“
c. & c.
8
Tuxpan
25c “
6 6
“
c. & c.
9
Toluca
25c
Thin wove
1 1
Heitman
10
Tehuacan
25c
“
“ blue
C. & C.
12
Tepic
10c or.
Wove
“ quadruple sur.
C. & C.
14
Tampico
10c “
Thin wove
“ double violet
c. & c.
16
Tabasco
10c “
Ord. wove
( i
c. & c.
17
S. L. Potosi
100c
“
“
c. & c.
17
S. L. Potosi
25c
“
( i
c. & c.
17
S. L. Potosi
25c
Very thin wove
( i
c. & c.
17
S. L. Potosi
50c
c. & c.
20
Puebla
10c bl.
Crisp wove
“
J. B. C.
20
Puebla
10 c or.
Thin v. laid
( i
c. & c.
20
Puebla
25c
**
£ £
c. & c.
22
Orizava
5c
Ord. v. laid
“ carmine
c. & c.
22
Orizava
10c or.
Thin wove
“ blue
c. & c.
26
Merida
5c
Ord. wove
“
c. & c.
27
Maravatio
10c or.
Thin wove
“ green
c. & c.
36
Guanajuato
5c
Ord. wove
“ blue
c. & c.
36
Guanajuato
10c or.
Thin wove
“ blue
0. & c.
36
Guanajuato
50c
< i
“ carm. also blue
c. & c.
37
Guadalajara
10c or.
Ord. v. laid
“
c. & c.
37
Guadalajara
25c
Ord. wove
6 £
c. & c.
38
Durango
5c
Thin wove
“ vermilion
c. & c.
38
Durango
5c
“
“ blue
c. & c.
38
Durango
10c or.
6 i
“ vermilion
c. & c.
38
Durango
25c or.
Ord. wove
“ blue
c. & c.
40
Chiapas
5c
“ blue
c. & c.
40
Chiapas
5c
Vert, laid
“ blue
c. & c.
40
Chiapas
10c or.
Thin wove
“ blue
c. & c.
44
Cocula
4c red
or.
Ord. v. laid
c. & c.
44
Cocula
10c or.
“
a
c. & c.
44
Cocula
25c
Ord. wove
a
C. Sc C.
44
Cocula
100c
Ord. v. laid
“
c. & c.
44
Cocula
100c
**■
“ triple sur.
c. & c.
44
Cocula
f 25c
“
“ | one blue
c. & c.
1 50c
Ord. wove
“J one black
c. & c.
44
Moscotta
10c or.
Thin wove
“ blue
C. Sc c.
47
C. Victoria
25c
Ord. wove
“ blue
c. & c.
49
Colima
10c or.
Ord. v. laid
“ blue
C. Sc c.
51
Apam
10c or.
Thin wove
“ blue
C. Sc c.
54
Mexico
10c
“
6 C
J. B. C.
Numbers and dates found surcharged more than once (1874-1883)
No. District
3 Vera Cruz
3 Vera Cruz
3 Vera Cruz
7 Tula
14 Tampico
Value Paper
50c Thin wove
10c or. Thin wove
25c
10c or. Hor. laid
5c Thin wove
Name color
Name
Name
No name
No name
Surcharge Authority
381 sur. thrice J. B. C.
382 sur. twice C. & C.
382
781 “ “
1483 “ J. B. C.
54
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Numbers and dates found surcharged more than once (1874-1888)
No.
District
Value Paper
Name color
Surcharge
Authority
14
Tampico
25c Ord. wove
Name
1478 sur. twice
C. & C.
14
Tampico
50c Ord. V. laid
6 4
1480
46
19
Queretaro
25c Thin wove
No name
1983
66
25
Monterey
4c br. “
1 6
2581
6 6
red
25
Monterey
25c
Name
2582
46
26
Merida
5c Ord. V. laid
No name
2680
J. B. C.
26
Merida
10c or. Thin wove
No name
2682 sur. thrice C. & C.
30
La Paz
100c
€ 4
3081 sur. twice
64
35
Huejutla
50c Ord. wove
Name
3578
Heitman
36
Guanajuato
25c Thin wove
“ (violet)
3682
J. B. C.
51
Apam
25c Ord. wove
ii
5178
C. & c.
54
Mexico
4c br. Thin wove
i i
5482
Heitman
red
or83
54
Mexico
10c or.
i i
5483
C. & C.
Surcharged With Date Only
District
Value
Paper
Name color
Date
Authority
Chiapas
50c
Thin wove
Mauve blue
82
C. & C.
Cordova
10c or.
64
Mauve
82
c. & c.
?
10c or.
6 6
No name
83
c. & c.
Tuxpan
5c
Ord. vert, laid
Name
82
c. & c.
?
10c or.
Ord. wove
No name
80
c. & c.
Apam
25c
Ord. vert, laid
Name
80
c. & c.
Errors
in Surcharge of Numbers (1874-1888)
District
Value
Error
Paper
Name Color Authority
Zacatecas
10c
883 for
283
Thin wove
Name carmine C. & C.
6 6
25c
883 “
283
6 6
6 i
46
6 6
25c
883 “
283
6 6
No name
66
Vera Cruz
4c
1381 “
381
Ord. v. laid
6 4
66
“
10c
883 “
383
Name
64
6 6
25c
883
383
66
6 6
44
6 4
25c
281 “
381
Thin v. laid
66
66
Tulancingo
66
5c
581 “
681
Ord. v. laid
6 6
6 6
25c
581 “
681
66
4 6
66
Tula
25c
27? “
7?
?
Heitman
6 6
10c
3780 “
780
Ord. v. laid
6 6
C. & C.
66
10c
3781 “
781
Ord. wove
No name
6 6
66
25c
3781 “
781
Soft v. laid
6 6
66
6 6
10c
7781 “
781
Hor. laid
46
66
6 6
10c
4781 "
781
Ord. wove
66
66
6 6
10c
1781 “
781
Hor. laid
(6
66
6 6
25c
1781 “
781
Soft v. laid
66
6 6
Toluca
10c
280 “
980
?
?
Heitman
6 6
10c
9982 "
982
Thin wove
Name violet
C. & c.
66
5c
9982 "
982
6 6
4 6 6 6
66
6 6
25c
2980 “
980
Ord. wove
“ blue
6 6
Tlaxcala
5c
1178 “
1378
Ord. v. laid
“ violet
J. B. C.
tt
10c*
1178 “
1378
Ord. wove
?
Heitman
“
25c
11? “
13?
?
?
66
a
100c
1178 “
1378
Ord. wove
“ blue
c. & c.
a
10c
1278
1378
66 66
66
“
10c
1278 44
1378 f
Ord. v. laid
?
Heitman
*Black.
fCorrected by hand.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
55
Errors in Surcharge of Numbers (1874-83), (Continued)
District
Value
Error
Paper
Name Color
Authority
Cocula
10c
4380
“
4480
Ord. v. laid
Name
C. & C.
C i
25c
4380
St
4480
Ord. wove
<<
1 1
Tepic
25c
2280
“
1280
Ord. v. laid
1 1
Tabasco
50c
26?
St
16?$
9
Heitman
“
50c
2679
“
1679 §
Ord. wove
Name
C. & C.
S. L. Potosi
25c
1183
“
1783
Thin wove
“
“
S. L. Potosi
25c
1183
“
1783
“
No name
“
Saltillo
25c
2581
St
1881
Ord. v. laid
Name
Queretaro
Be
3580
“
1980
Ord. wove
9
Heitman
tt
10c
3580
St
1980
Ord. v. laid
Name
.T. B. C.
tt
10c
3580
St
1980
Ord. wove
“
C. & C.
it
25c
3580
St
1980
“
& 6
4 i
50c
3580
“
1980
“
t t
( 6
i i
10c
1679
St
1979
Ord. v. laid
9
Heitman
Puebla
5c
2980 for 2080
Ord. v. laid
9
Heitman
tt
10c
2980
it
2080
Ord. wove
Name
C. & C.
tt
10c
2980
i i
2080
Ord. v. laid
1 1
it
tt
25c
2980
i i
2080
Ord. wove
f t
“
25c
2980
t t
2080
Thin v. laid
1 1
tt
t t
100c
2980
it
2080
Quad, paper
None
i i
tt
100c
3?
1 1
20?
9
9
Heitman
t i
10c
2581
“
2081
Ord. v. laid
Name
C. & C.
i i
10c
2382
“
2082*
Thin wove
i i
1 1
tt
25c
2383
it
2083
Thin wove
i t
“
Pachuca
10c
1283
tt
2183
“
it
11
“
50c
1283
tt
2183
“
1 1
1 1
it
50c
2782
2182
“
it
6 i
Or'zava
50c
2682
“
2282
tt
i i
it
Oaxaca
100c
2980
“
2380
Ord. v. laid
No name
t i
Morelia
25c
2?
i t
24?
9
Heitman
it
10c
2081
tt
2481
Ord. wove
Name
C. & C.
t (
10c
2081
t i
2481
“
No name
“
Monterey
5c
55?
25?
9
Heitman
Merida
25c
2?
26?
?
9
tt
it
5c
2980
i i
2680
Ord. v. laid
No name
.T. B. C.
n
5c
2980
tt
2680
“
Name
C. &. C.
i i
100c
2980
2680
Ord. wove
No name
tt
tt
100c
2980
“
2680
Wove, W.M.
tt
tt
Mazatlan
50c
72 ?
27 ?
?
9
Heitman
Jilotepec
5c
380
it
3280
Ord. v. laid
No name
C. & C.
Jalapa
25c
3883
it
3383
Thin wove
Name
i t
“
25c
3833
i t
3383
it
No name
it
Parral
10c
3580
tt
3480
Ord. v. laid
Name
“
Guanajuato
5c
3280
tt
3680
i 4
No name
tt
“
25c
3280
“
3680
i £
tt
v
Durango
10c
35 ?
tt
38 ?*
9
Heitman
“
10c
35 ?
tt
38 ?
9
9
“
“
100c
35 ?
38 ?*
9
Chiapas
100c
5079
“
4079f
V. laid
C. & C.
t i
10c
0081
tt
4081
Ord. wove
Name blue
“
tt
10c
0081
tt
4081
it
No name
J. B. C.
Chaleo
5c
21 ?
“
41 ?
9
9
Heitman
it
10c
4683
tt
4183
Thin wove
No name
C. Guzman
25c
1381
tt
4381
Ord. v. laid
“
C. & C.
(t
10c
2380
it
4380
Ord. wove
Name
1 1
Cuernavaca
25c
54 ?
tt
45 ?
9
Heitman
$Probably 2679. ^Corrected by hand.
§ Corrected by printing 2679 over 1679. f 4 printed over 5.
56
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Errors in Surcharge of Numbers (1874-83), (Continued)
District
Value
Error
Paper
Name ColorAuthority
C. Bravos
25c
53 ?
for 48 ?
?
?
Heitman
it
5 0c
4979
“ 4879*
C. & C.
5 c
2680
“ 4880
Ord. v. laid
Name
tt
10c
2880
“ 4880
Ord. wove
“
“
tt
25c
2880
“ 4880
“
ft
“
Aguascalientes 10c
5681
“ 5281
Ord. v. laid
it
v
it
25c
5681
“ 5281
Thin soft wove 44
it
25c
5681
" 5281
ti
No name
< <
Mexico
25c
4578
“ 5478
Ord. wove
Name
“
25c
4578
“ 5478
Ord. v. laid
( t
“
10 c
4580
“ 5480
it
it
25c
4580
“ 5480
Ord. wove
ti
< t
4 c
4581
“ 5481
Ord. v. laid
it
tt
t t
5c
4581
“ 5481
6 t
ti
i i
1 0c
4581
“ 5481
Thin v. laid
“
tt
25c
4581
“ 5481
it
it
tt
it
2 5c
4582
“ 5482
Thin wove
“
“
<t
100c
45 ?
44 54 ?
?
9
Heitman
5 c
481
44 5481
Ord. v. laid
Name
C. & c.
1 0c
481
“ 5481
Thin v. laid
( t
it
25c
481
44 5481
it
tt
it
it
25c
481
44 5481
Thin wove
a
tt
< t
100c
481
44 5481
?
9
Heitman
2 5c
5181
44 5481
Thin wove
Name
C. & C.
Errors in Surcharge of Dates
District
Value
Error
Paper
Name ColorAuthority
Zamora
5 0c
128 for
182
?
?
Heitman
Vera Cruz
25c
328 “
382
?
?
it
Hermosillo
25c
480 “
481 Ord. v. laid
No name
C. & C.
Tacubuya
50c
8015 “
1580
it
“
it
La Paz
10c
301 “
3081 Th:n soft v. laid
tt
tt
Jalapa
10c
3333 “
3381 Ord. wove
i t
J. B. C.
a
4c
3391 “
3381 Ord. v. laid
it
C. & C.
it
25c
3391 “
3381 Thin v. la.id
f i
ti
25c
3391 “
3381 Ord. wove
J. B. C.
Durango
5c
3668 "
3881 Ord. v. laid
Vermilion
c. & c.
“
10c
3868 “
3881 Hor. laid
tt
it
25c
3868 “
3881 Ord. v. laid
“
it
5c
3880 “
3881
< i
it
it
10c
3880 “
3881 Ord. wove
it
i i
25c
3880 “
3881 Ord. v. laid
**
it
Cordova
5 c
4291 “
4281 Soft v. laid
Name
J. B. C.
C. Bravos
5 0c
488 “
4883 Very thin wove
No name
c. & c.
Mexico
10c
5489 “
5480
?
Name
Heitman
“
25c
5489 “
5480 Ord. wove
a
C. & C.
i i
25c
548 “
5481
or 2 Soft v. laid
tt
c. & c.
25c
54 2 “
5482
?
'?
Heitman
Surcharge of Number and Date Inverted
No.
District
Value
Paper
Name color
Authority
3
Vera Cruz
4c
Ord. wove
Name
088
J. B. C.
8
Tuxpan
50c
Very thin wove
Name
8 19
J. B. C.
16
Tabasco
5c
Ord. vert, laid
No name
6891
c. & c.
54
Mexico
50c
i t
Name
08bS
{ {
12
Tepic
10c
i t
it
61ZI
6 6
*8 printed over
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
57
Surcharge With One or Two Figures Inverted
No.
District
Value
Paper
Name color
Authority
1
Zamora
25c
Ord. wove
Violet
179
C. & C.
2
Zacatecas
25c
Name
379
a
26
Merida
5c
Ord. v. laid
No name
3680
J. B. C.
26
44
5c
4 4
Name
3680
c. & c.
26
5c
No name
3680(twice) “
26
4 4
100c
Ord. wove
4 4
3680
54
Mexico
50c
Ord. v. laid
?
3981
Heitman
Error in Position of Figures and Mexico
4c
Ord. vert, laid
Name
5481
FXIG
°0
C. & C.
25c
Very thin wove
81 54
I X
C E
O M
c. & c.
Incorrect or Divided Grouping of Figures
District
Value
Error
Paper
Authority
Vera Cruz
5c
3 81
for
381
Ord. wove
C. & C.
n
10c
380
4 4
380
Ord. vert, laid
J. B. C.
25c
3 82
4 4
382
Thin wove
J. B. C.
4 4
25c
381
4 4
381
Ord. wove
c. & c.
Zacatecas
25c
2 82
4 4
282
Thin wove (blue)
4 4
Tula
25c
7 82
4 4
782
“ “
4 4
Tuxpan
4c
8 83
i 4
883
?
Heitman
Toluca
10c
9 80
( 4
980
Ord. wove
4 i
25c
9 80
( 4
980
4 4
C. & C.
Tehuacan
5c
1082
i 6
1082
Ord. vert, laid
Heitman
Tlaxcala
10c
l382
i (
1382
Ord. wove
“
Tula de T.
10c
6 80
6 i
680
Ord. vert, laid
C. & C.
**
100c
6 80
6 i
680
4 4 4 4
44
S. L. Potosi
25c
17 82
i 6
1782
Thin wove
Puebla
10c
20 82
( i
2082
“
4 4
i (.
25c
2 082
6 6
2082
4 4
4 4
Oaxaca
4c
2 380
i (
2380
Ord. v. laid (blue)
4 4
“
5c
2380
i (
2380
4 4 4 4
J. B. C.
100c
2 380
i i
2380
Ord. wove (blue)
C. & C.
4 4
10c
23 83
6 6
2383
Thin wove
“
100c
2 383
6 6
2383
4 4
“
Monterey
100c
2 583
6 <
2583
“
“
“
10c
285 1
( l
2581
Thin vert, laid
Heitman
Merida
25c
2 682
6 6
2682
4 4 4 4
C. & C.
Lagos
50c
3180
( (
3180
Heitman
Jalapa
10c
3 380
6 (
3380
Thin wove
C. & C.
i c
50c
3380
( (
3380
<<
J. B. C.
Parral
10c
3 482
6 6
3482
4 4
C. & C.
4 4
25c
34 82
4 6
3482
?
Heitman
Guanajuato
25c
3 668
4 i
3668*
4 4
Chiapas
10c
4 081
4 4
4081
Ord. wove
c. & c.
Chaleo
10c
41 83
4 4
4183
Thin wove
4 4
Mexico
10c
548o
4 4
5482
Ord. wove
44
"Date wrong.
58
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Incorrect or Divided Grouping of Figures (Continued).
District
Value
Paper
Error
Authority
Pachuca
5c
Ord. vert, laid
3 is too small
thus:
217 3
Heitman
Lagos
10c
Thin wove
3 put in later
a .
3183
it
Colima
10c
a
Second 5 too small
a •
5582
a
Tlaxcala
25c
a
Fig. 1 put in later
a »
1382
a
Lagos
25c
t i
Fig. 3 put in later
a .
3183
it
U
25c
Ord. vert, laid
Fig. 3 put in later
K •
8j8o
a
Guanajuato
25c
Thin wove
Fig. 3 put in later
a •
3682
«
Colima
50c
Ord. wove
First 4 wrong type
t( »
4278
a
Mexico
25c
i i
First 5 too small
<6 •
5479
Two Connected Stamps, One Surcharged With Number and Date and District,
the Other With Number and Date Only
Saltillo
5c
Ord. wove
1881
Orizava
25c
Ord. vert, laid
2281
Guadalajara
5c
Very thin wove
3782
Campeche
5c
Ord. wove
5081
Printed on both back and face, once with number and date, once without
Mexico 5c Very thin wove 5483 J. B. C.
Essays, Issue 1874-83
I have essays of all the values imperforate in the colors finally adopted,
and also the 50c and the 100c in black and the 50c in dark carmine. Doubt¬
less others exist and apparently they are one and all very scarce.
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
59
Literature and Authorities
1885 M. Caillebotte: Le Timbre-Poste.
1886-7 Gilbert Lockyer: Translation of M. Caillebotte’s work, with some
additions.
1890 C. H. Mekeel: Philatelic Journal of America.
J. E. Escalante: Guanajuato, Catalogue.
L. Berger: Mexican Frank Cancellations, based on the work of Frei-
herrn v. Grunewald, Zurich.
F. Jager: Mexican Wells Fargo Envelopes. Senf’s Monatsschrift,
Jan., 1890.
A. Schoeller: Postal Cards of Mexico, in La Carte Postale, 1890.
1896 Frhrn. v. Schell and T. H. Anheisser, based on the work of A. Puschel
of Berlin. Heitman’s Handbuch der Philatelie, Vol. II.
1900 H. Collin and H. L. Caiman, .aided by A. E. Lawrence: Catalogue
for Advanced Collectors (published separately).
R. Lowenhagen: The Stamps of Mexico (1895-99) Germania-Bericht,
1900, No. 15, p. 158.
19 03 J. Marco del Pont, Buenos Aires.
1909-10 R. Fretzel: Notes on the Stamps of Mexico, Monthly Report of the
Herts Philatelic Society.
W. C. Bellows: Campeche. Some notes on the most remarkable post¬
age stamps ever issued. New York, 1909.
W. T. Wilson and E. W. Wetherell: The 1868-72 Issues of Mexico.
The Philatelic Journal of India, 1909, p. 234.
Chapman and Wilson: The Eagle and Maximilian Issues of Mexico.
E. W. Wetherell: A note on the 25c (1874-83) (3 plates), Phila¬
telic Journal of India, 1909.
1917 Charles J. Phillips: The Stamps of Mexico (18 56-72).
In addition, Mr. Phillips calls attention to the work on the early issues,
1868-72, by Mr. J. G. Barron, to articles upon retouches and plates, issue
1868, published by Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. P. L. Pemberton, and finally re¬
fers to Mr. L. L. R. Hausburg as having advanced a very long way in plat¬
ing the issues of 1856, 1861, 1866, and 1868.
60
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
Noted Collectors of Mexican Stamps
The following is a list of gentlemen known to the writer to possess or
to have formed at some date a noted collection of the stamps of Mexico,
nearly all of whom have contributed at some time to the literature relating
thereto. Many exist, without doubt, to whom attention has not been called.
Collections associated with names that are starred are known or presumed
to be dispersed.
Aguirre, A. . .
Anheisser, J. H .
Breitfuss . .
Berger, L .
Boemcken, v .
Brockelmann, J. B .
Bellows, W. C .
Barron, J. H. .
Caillebotte, M .
Collyer . . .
Cronthal, Ritter von . . .
Chapman, S .
Collin, H .
Caiman, H. L. . . . . .
de Coppet, F . . .
Escalante, J .
Engels, Rittmeister H .
Ferrary, Count .
Frederick, R .
Freutzel, R. . . .
Gudhert, C. .
Grunewald, Freiherr von .
Gebhard, E .
Hollick, R. . .
Hall, T. W . . .
Hausburg, L. L. R . . .
Jager, F. . .
Kalkhoff, Dr . . .
Kunhardt, G. T . . .
Krapp, W . . .
Larish, G .
Luff, J. N . . .
Lawrence, A. E .
Lockyer, G. . . .
Lehmkuhl, A .
Lowenhagen, R . . .
Marco del Pont, J .
Meyer .
Moens, J. B. . . . .
Moschkau, A .
Maury, A. . . .
Mekeel, C. H .
Mexico City, Mexico (1914)
Dusseldorf, Germany, 189 5
Petrograd, Russia*
(1890)
Hamburg, Germany
Bremen, Germany
New York, 1908 U. S. A.*
London, England
Paris, 1885, France*
Mexico City, Mexico*
Vienna, Austria
London, England
New York, U. S. A. 1900*
New York, U. S. A. 1900*
New York, U. S. A.*
Guanayuago, Mexico
Wanderbeck, Germany
Paris, France
Grandenz, Germany
Paris, France
Zurich, Switzerland
Volwinkle, Germany
Birmingham, England
London, England
London, England
Germany, 1890
Berlin, Germany
Vienna, Austria, 1911
Munich, Bavaria
New York, U. S. A.
New York, 1900*
London, England, 1887*
Hamburg, Germany
Reinbeck, Germany
Buenos Aires, Arg. Republic, 1903
Paris, France
Paris, France
St. Louis, U. S. A. 1890*
THE 1874-1883 ISSUE OF MEXICO.
61
Needaus .
Pinon, C. .......
Pizarro, G. H. . . .
Pemberton, P. L. .
Phillips, C. J.
Puschell, A. . . . . .
Reigelsperger, C. .
Schoeller, A .
Schafer, Dr .
Schroder, Herr . .
Schmeckpeper, E.
Schell, Freiherr v.
Taylor, E. M .
Tapling, T. K.
Tietjen, J .
Ugarte, S. . .
Wilson, W. T.
Wilkinson, M.
Wetherell, E. W.
New York, U. S. A.
Mexico City, Mexico
London, England
London, England, 1917
Berlin, Germany, 1893
Vienna, Austria
Germany, .1890
Meissen, Germany
Meissen, Germany
Los Angeles, U. S. A.
Dusseldorf, Germany
Altadena, U. S. A.
London, England
Mexico City, Mexico
Guadalajara, Mexico
Birmingham, England
England
India, 19 09
The author will be very appreciative if any omissions or corrections
noted are called to his attention. Varieties missing in his collection, as
indicated by stars or otherwise, will, if submitted, be inspected with excep¬
tional interest. Address: J. B. Chittenden, Polytechnic Institute, Brook¬
lyn, N. Y.
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